


Squander

by Nununununu



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Bisexual Eddie Brock, Consensual Sex, Cunnilingus, Don't copy to another site, Dual Genitalia, Explicit Sexual Content, Feelings, First Time, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Venom Symbiote (Marvel), Genderfluid Character, Idiots in Love, Interspecies, Masturbation, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Oral Sex, Other, Pining, Sexual Frustration, Slow Burn, Switching
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2019-09-19 21:54:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17009919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nununununu/pseuds/Nununununu
Summary: A conundrum. Eddie's just not that into sex these days, but Venom - Venom is.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the friend who enlightened me about this pairing. Set sometime vaguely post movie, with they / their pronouns for Venom. First chap expositiony; no non-con.
> 
> Disclaimer: this is a work of fanfiction. No profit is made from it and no offence intended.

The thing is –

You see, the thing is –

Venom knows about sex. They know it from films and TV; from those videos Eddie doesn’t know they dug up from the depths of his computer, where they’d been languishing unwatched; from things people have shouted or snickered or whispered on the streets, in subway cars, in shabby hotel rooms, in hostels and homes and offices and all sorts of places in between; Venom’s hearing is acute and humanity is generally interesting to tune into idly, at least when Eddie’s sleeping or intent on writing an article or otherwise occupied and they’re bored – and humans, it seems, like to fuck _everywhere_.

But most of all Venom has learned about sex from Eddie, of course.

Although Eddie is, in this case, a bit of a conundrum. He’s also become more successful at shielding some of his thoughts, something Venom’s not about to let on.

Eddie’s grown good at building a box in the back of his mind to stuff _certain things_ in and they’ve had enough _talks_ by now about boundaries and respect and all that shit that Venom’s –

Well. They could take a look if they really wanted to easy enough (and they do really want. But they’ve – grudgingly – developed some restraint, at least in this matter), but tearing down the sides of that box could hurt Eddie, even if Venom soothed the hurt away right as it happened so Eddie never knew or made him forget about it afterwards, and –

Yeah. Not about to do that. Even a hurt that’s healed immediately is unacceptable, _especially_ if it’s caused by them, and making Eddie forget would be a betrayal in itself; this Venom is undeniably (and less often uncomfortably) certain of. Because Eddie means something. They might not have intended this, might have even fought against it at first, but –

Yeah.

Eddie _means_ something. So if the idiot wants to crush _certain things_ into that overstuffed box in the back of his head, then Venom’s going to enable Eddie by letting him.

To an extent.

Because the entirety of the contents of that mental box, Venom is certain, involve sex.

Eddie likes sex. He’s a healthy (thanks to Venom’s good work) adult man and he’d been more embarrassed the first few times after they’d bonded about having Venom there in his head when he’d had to take a shit (Venom had been more accurately somewhere towards the back of his ribs, and they hadn’t got what the fuss was about – waste was waste and had to be got rid of (“Venom, shut _up_ ”) – but Eddie’s flustered awkwardness had provided amusement, as had jokes about constipation) – anyway, Eddie had been more wound up about that and about the time he accidentally farted when sitting down on the bus in front of some kids and their yummy mummies (it was dibs on whether Venom or the kids had found this more hilarious) than he had been about the first morning post-bonding he woke up aroused and rolled over to press his cock into the mattress and rub one out – lazy, sleepy, unhurried stimulation, one hand tugging his hair, chewing his pillow around a moan.

Venom had been hitching a ride in Eddie’s midriff; they’d poked their head out of his side to blink at what was happening, curious, and it hadn’t seemed to put Eddie off at all, if he’d even noticed.

So.

So Venom knows about masturbation too, and they’d appreciated the fact Eddie had been in a particularly good mood afterwards that day and had let Venom eat tater tots for breakfast, and then they’d gone out into one of the worst parts of town after work for a treat.

It had been a memorable occasion. More so for the early morning tots and the happy little glow that lingered in Eddie’s head and the looseness he carried in his limbs throughout the day than for the orgasm itself, as far as Venom was concerned back then, but recently, of late –

Something’s changed.

Eddie likes sex, always has done, ever since he first had it (rushed and fumbling teenage memories Eddie groans over whenever Venom sneaks a peek at them, although they both know he’s mostly only pretending to complain), but recently, of late –

Well. Eddie’s bored.

Eddie's somehow, for some reason, bizarrely _bored_ – and yet that mental box is getting crammed full of odd bits and pieces that occur to him fairly often and he whisks away from under Venom’s nose (if they had a nose. They could make one, probably, if they wanted to – they’re good at imitating; comes naturally when you can shapeshift – but why would they. They already have Eddie’s nose and it’s perfect). But however close to overflowing that box seems to get, Eddie’s still just –

Still just not really interested in it. Apparently.

And this presents the conundrum. If Eddie truly doesn't give much of a shit about sex anymore, why bother with the box? It's not like he's mentally fretting over its contents or anything or tempted to open it (unlike Venom), as far as they can tell.

Perhaps the most annoying side effect of this mystery is the fact that in direct contrast to Eddie’s increasing apathy towards sex and masturbation, Venom’s – frustratingly, inexplicably – become way _more_ interested in it, damn it all. Eddie gets half hard some mornings these days, gives his dick a tug, shrugs when nothing much happens and hoists his shorts back into place onehandedly, scratching his balls through material worn thin from previous scratchings, his thoughts already ambling off towards coffee and his body following shortly thereafter. Whereas Venom is left gnawing off their own arm. You know, if they made an arm to gnaw. Which they don’t, because why bother, Eddie’s arms are better. Are the best.

Anyway, crap. It’s crap. It sucks. Or, rather, it _doesn’t_ suck – as far as Venom’s seen in Eddie’s memories and the media, sucking would be great.

And anyway again, how has this happened? They have no idea: they are one, they are bonded, they are _we_ and _us_ and it's all Venom ever wanted – but they would damn well appreciate it if Eddie could get over whatever’s bugging him (or _isn't_ bugging him, if his ‘meh’ attitude can be believed) and get into it enough to get off.

The whole thing almost makes Venom consider building themselves more of a human-like body just to see if they can construct it thoroughly enough to bloody well do it themselves. Which would probably be quite a sight. Maybe it would make Eddie laugh; Venom has to admit they like the idea of that. Eddie’s laughter is one of their favourite sounds.

They have quite a few favourite sounds (and favourite other things) these days. All of them are to do with Eddie. And Venom knows – _knows_ – Eddie cares about them. They care about each other; they care about _us_ ; it’s simultaneously wonderful and mushy and disgusting and –

Fuck.

Venom would love to surge out of Eddie right in those moments when Eddie’s got his limp uninterested cock in his similarly slack uninterested hand, wrap it up in themselves, slather it with their tongue, slurp it into their mouth. Give Eddie something to squawk about. To do it for Eddie, if Eddie can’t be arsed. To do it for them both. It’d be _awesome_.

Pity Eddie doesn’t seem to think the same.

\--

(Eddie does in fact think of this sometimes or of something similar, right before he lets out a faint puff of a shrugging breath and tucks his softening dick back in his shorts. Buries the thought deep, deep in that mental box alongside all the rest of the _really fucking dodgy shit_ his brain should never have conjured up; reminds himself how bloody fucking messed up he is. He can sense Venom’s frustration, their discontent. And he’s not about to ever use his other like that. The possibility of Venom’s horror and probable total lack of understanding is more than off-putting enough. Eddie makes himself concentrate on the need for caffeine instead. Seeks safety in the kitchen and his cup).

 


	2. Chapter 2

Everything goes tits up, as it were, when Venom is caught up in all of their want and not paying proper attention.

But no, that’s not quite yet, is it. That’s not the start of it.

It begins back when the thump of rain against the window wakes Eddie one Sunday morning. However dismal it is outside doesn’t matter: he’s sprawled under the covers with no real need to get up, Venom loose and lax and sated (satisfied in one sense at least), spooled in tendrils across his chest, still pleasantly full from last night’s meal of all you can eat buffet plus a persistent subway pervert who failed to repent.

“Mmmm,” Eddie’s hand bats its way up from under crumpled sheets to scratch the bridge of his nose and then the crook of his jaw, nails rasping on stubble, and the noise and feel of it causes Venom to stir from their shared lassitude.

**_Good morning, Eddie._** They form a small head and face to blink up at him, flick their tongue in greeting across his chin.

Eddie’s smile blooms in response.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” He lowers his hand, dropping it lightly onto the back of Venom’s head, drowsy affection seeping across their bond. Venom nudges up into the touch, the shape of their head just the right size to fit perfectly into the cup of Eddie’s fingers and palm.

**_Not sleepy. You’re the sleepyhead._** For some reason this makes Eddie grin – he thinks they’re pouting. Scandalised, Venom gently nips his thumb, **_Not pouting, Eddie._**

Unfortunately this only serves to strengthen Eddie’s conviction.

“Yeah yeah, sure you’re not,” He’s not taking their objection the slightest bit seriously, emotions spilling from him all fond and teasing and warm. The feel of them makes something tug inside Venom: they want to duck inside Eddie to roll and wallow in them, to soak them all up and reflect them back at him.

But if they burrow inside Eddie they’ll have to give up the weight of his palm and fingers curving over their head, and the sight of his sleepy smile. So they bite his thumb again instead.

“ _Hey_ ,” This time it’s just enough to make Eddie yelp, although he doesn’t remove his hand, “Oi you.”

**_Oi yourself,_** Venom awards him their finest grin.

“Hmm,” A certain line deepens tellingly on one side of Eddie’s mouth as his eyes narrow, amusement bubbling up higher inside him. Venom has just a moment in which to stiffen, realising Eddie’s intention, when –

“Got you,” Grinning, Eddie pokes them with his index finger right between their eyes.

**_Got_** **you!** Venom immediately counterattacks, returning the gesture in kind – with a noticeable difference, given they use their tongue.

“Ahhh, attacked by a goo monster!” Eddie breaks into snorts of laughter, batting at them with both hands, making a whole production of straining to evade the lick, “Must escape!”

**_You can’t escape from us, Eddie,_** Venom doesn’t allow him the opportunity, their tongue darting out again, this time sampling Eddie’s clavicle. Swiping up the length of his neck, over his Adam’s apple, catching on stubble; slipping over the curve of his chin.

“Nooo, not the face, leave off the face!” Eddie’s still laughing helplessly, so they feel safe ignoring him in favour of snuffling around his right temple and cheek, his legs becoming trapped as he wriggles, churning up the bedding with kicking feet. Venom sends out little tendrils to further entangle him, creepers to anchor themselves to him (as if they’d ever allow themselves to be dislodged).

For all his mock-complaining, Eddie is thinking very clearly, _I wouldn’t want to escape._

Delighted, Venom therefore aims a chomp at his chin. **_Grrr. Argh._**

_“Teeth,”_ Eddie’s voice jumps an octave higher, “So many tiny terrible teeth!” He flops an uncoordinated hand up and out, catching Venom in a smack to the jaw that was intended to be a shove, a completely ineffectual blow they consciously allow to happen but nonetheless protest.

**_Eddie, how could you!_ **

“Very easily it seems, though I didn't mean to,“ Eddie chuckles. Then amazingly he asks, “Need me to kiss it better?”

**Yes!** Snatching the opportunity, Venom eagerly presents their face.

Eddie busses a kiss to their jaw, much too brief, then – while they're reeling, revelling in what just happened – takes advantage of the opening to dart a finger in to perform the gesture he persists in thinking of as ‘booping them on the nose’ despite their lack of the necessary appendage, “Boop.”

**_Arghhh,_** Venom is prompt to painlessly savage that finger.

And this –

Back when Eddie had first tried to play with them like this, they had been quick to offer a scalding critique of his prodding and flailing as a means of attack and defence. Some minor embarrassment had followed when they’d realised their mistake – not that they’d let on to this, of course – along with a decided lack of understanding as to quite why their host would act like such.

Nowadays Venom is no longer surprised by this kind of behaviour. They might even go so far as to welcome it – and Eddie isn’t _host_ , not anymore; he hasn’t been for some time. Eddie is –

Eddie _is_.

(Eddie is heart and home and hive. Eddie is everything).

And Venom has learned how to play along with such behaviour, has learned it’s supposed to be fun. It _is_ fun, something they’ve never experienced before Eddie, and –

Well. Getting to fool around with Eddie like this? It’s wonderful.

Pity it’s not the only _fooling around_ Venom aches to do with him. Pity it seems to be the only fooling around Eddie wants to do with them, as far as he lets on.

Because really, it would be so very easy for Venom lick him everywhere right now.

To increase in size and let their weight press Eddie down onto the mattress, to tug off his t-shirt and shorts and hold him open, to let themselves explore. Eddie smells so good, so delicious, the sheets wound around them warm from his body and rich with his scent. Venom is surrounded by Eddie, winding in ever closer under the convenient excuse of their game. They want to form themselves a body for the purpose of touching him: arms to position between Eddie’s legs and guide them ever wider, shoulders to toss his ankles over, hands to run over the plane of his belly and over his hips, to squeeze the curve of his ass.

Venom already has a mouth as they are currently; it would be simple for them to make it bigger. To slot their teeth away and swallow Eddie’s dick. Give it that sucking they long to deliver. Drink him all down.

Sometimes they wonder what Eddie would do if they blunt their teeth enough not to hurt and graze them against the inside of his thighs. Nibble an ankle, run their tongue over the curved arch of a foot to tickle his toes. Rub the tip of their tongue over the weeping slit of his swollen cock again and again until he begs.

There’s nothing Venom doesn’t want to do to Eddie. Nothing they wouldn’t let him do to them.

Or so they believe. So they think. For this is all conjecture, useless _what ifs_. That damned mental box Eddie created lurking ever present in the back of his mind, stuffed to the brim and clamped shut tight, heavily padlocked and reinforced with steel bars: for all the good feelings between them right now as they wrestle in the bed, Venom can’t help but be aware of it, lurking in the confines of Eddie’s subconscious like the damned most frustrating threat. And Eddie –

As far as Venom can tell, Eddie isn’t even _close_ to thinking of that box right now. Or of sex.

Damn it all to fuck.

“Venom?” That’s Eddie. His hands paused in their mock struggle, a question rising in his eyes. Of course he’s noticed their distraction, “You okay, bud?”

There are times, increasingly often these days, that Venom is tempted to just say to hell with it and quit clamping down on everything they fear Eddie would disapprove of. To give him a real reason to squawk about them being _up his ass_.

It’d certainly be a way to clue Eddie in to what he’s missing; what they could have. But Venom is undeniably aware of the importance of consent, and the importance of Eddie giving it. And they do not have that.

Fuck.

But anyway. _Anyway_. Eddie’s eyebrows are arching; they’ve taken too long to answer. He predicts, “You’re hungry, right?”

Really, that doesn’t even deserve an answer. Venom gives one anyway. **_Yes._** **_Going to eat you for breakfast._**

And whatever crap they might long for like the loser they are, they still get to say things like that and have Eddie laugh and stutter false protests and writhe against them as a result, continuing their game. They still get to relish the salt-sweet taste of his skin as they investigate his cheekbone and the shell of his ear, leaving a trail of saliva to mark their path.

“Ew, gross, alien drool,” There’s nothing whatsoever of disgust in Eddie’s voice however he grumbles and groans, “Venom, how could you?”

**_Very easily it seems._** They sample the flavour at Eddie’s hairline, the outer corner of his eye, the tip of his nose, and then –

His lips.

Eddie’s lips are right there. Parted from his laughter, plump and a little chapped. Venom never understood the appeal of kissing before Eddie, before they tried it that one time in the woods. Such a human notion: mouths in their previous experience were solely for eating, for devouring –

Yes. That’s the right word, devouring. They long to devour Eddie, in a way that won’t bring either of them harm but only _good_.

Or so they wish. It's physically painful to make themselves hold back. To stop before reaching his mouth; not to touch.

**_Eddie –_ **

His name slips out of them without Venom intending it. And although they’ve literally just tried to crush all the desire in them down to save Eddie from it (to save themselves because they’re a fucking coward and the thought of his rejection burns) –

Although they’ve literally just reminded themselves how damned bloody futile this whole pathetic _wanting_ thing is –

Venom hears all of their pent up want and need ring out loud and clear in that one word.

Shit.

Fuck.

Crap.

“V–Venom?” Eddie is staring. Ready to disappear inside him, Venom snatches a desperate glance at his expression: it seems to them he looks poleaxed. Horrified. Panicked.

No, wait. That's not right. The panic is theirs, damn it. The horror –

Nope. Eddie’s not horrified. Mildly startled at most and not particularly staring, simply surprised by Venom's reaction to their own outburst, by the abrupt end to the game. In fact, he’s sort of chuckling in a mix of amusement and a touch of rue, his knees shifting outwards in a bit of a squirm. Because –

Because Eddie is –

Because Eddie is goddamned oblivious and apparently somehow – _somehow_ – didn't pick up on their little eruption of feelings, if his reaction is to be believed (Venom mentally glares in suspicion at that subconscious box, but it remains stubbornly, pointedly shut). And critically because –

Under the covers, Eddie is _hard_.

It’s Venom's turn to stare, blindsided by this unexpected yet exceedingly welcome development. Caught aback by the intensity of their sudden hope.

**_Oh._ **

It's possible ‘tits up’ might not be quite the right phrase.


	3. Chapter 3

“Heh,” Eddie’s squirm intensifies in reaction to Venom’s stare, although he’s still chuckling, “Oops?”

**_Oops?_ **

Of all reactions Venom might imagine him having, this –

Well actually, yeah. Given his track record of late, this would probably be it.

Beneath the sheets, Eddie’s cock hasn’t flagged: it's swollen stiff with blood, smelling like the tastiest snack Venom has ever wanted to nom. Wet at the tip with precome smudging sticky against the worn out material of Eddie’s favourite old sleep shorts, the fresh stain smearing atop a number of pre-existing discoloured patches, faded remainders of erections past.

Eddie’s mind contains many delicious memories involving these particular shorts. Of sliding his fingers lazily over the head of his cock, shivering at the slight roughness of the fabric dragging over the glans. Grinding through them into the heel of his hand, working himself up leisurely before finally digging himself out. Bunching the shorts around the base of his cock or tucking them under his balls. Getting them in a tangle around his thighs while sobbing on his knees, drooling into the pillow in want; two fingers inside himself up to the knuckle, aching to fit in a third. Stretching the ancient waistband near the limits of its endurance; intending vaguely to catch his come in his free hand, before inevitably soaking the sheets.

All in all it’s safe to say these shorts have seen some fucking great times. And yet –

And yet as far as Venom can tell, right now Eddie’s not even _thinking_ about touching himself, let alone anything else. Let alone all the awesomely dirty things they could get up to together.

Like how, just for a start, Venom could help him get that third finger in.

They could make it so good Eddie wouldn’t need to resort to fingers at all. They’d be way better than fingers in fact, they’re sure. They could make their tendrils thicker or longer as needed; could form themselves a cock for him; could form themselves a vagina. They could probably form _Eddie_ a vagina, if they put their mind to it and with a little work. Anything whatsoever he might want.

Given the existence of that damned mental box Venom is one hundred percent certain is crammed full of ‘forbidden’ sex thoughts, they’re confident such possibilities _have_ to have at least occurred to Eddie. Therefore the obvious conclusion is that while he might have had such thoughts, Eddie simply doesn’t want to acknowledge them. He simply –

Doesn’t want them like that.

**_Fucking shit fuck shitty crap._ **

“Wow, that bad, huh?” Eddie’s still oblivious, thank fuck. Also still kind of amused, if perplexed by their reaction. He gives them an affectionate prod, seeking to offer reassurance, “Hey buddy, come on, don’t worry about it. Boners just happen sometimes, you know that. It doesn’t mean anything. Give me a second and I’ll get us breakfast, okay?”

And –

And yeah. Sure enough his thoughts are firmly on the need for caffeine. These days whenever he’s failing to get off, Eddie’s thoughts are always on caffeine. While there would be some humour in accusing him of developing a fetish, it’s so obvious a deflection it’s starting to make Venom want to scream. Or to smash Eddie’s motley collection of cups and mugs.

“Woah, Venom, _Jesus_ – unclench, unclench –”

Fuck, Eddie’s grimacing and clutching his torso. Venom realises that moment too late they’ve started to bunch up inside him around a couple of organs in their frustration, Eddie’s heartbeat leaping into overdrive as his body freaks the hell out.

**_Shit._** They instantly loosen their hold, swim through him internally to ease and soothe away the ache, berating themselves for the fucking idiot lapse ( ** _Lame ass loser!_** **_Moron! Fuckhead!_** ). Eddie’s panting slightly as his grip loosens, fingers releasing his abused t-shirt, gaze scanning their face in puzzled enquiry.

“You all right?” he’s quick to check.

Venom battles the strong temptation to zip every tendril inside him entirely and hide in his gall bladder.

**_Eddie, that is the wrong question. Are_** **you _all right? We didn’t –_** This is a situation that damn well requires a singular pronoun. **_I didn’t intend to do that._**

“I know you didn’t,” Eddie is smiling at them for some dumb reason. Smiling and back to feeling fond of them again (he makes no sense. Venom has long accepted this – Eddie is the best ever and bloody well _makes no sense_ ), “Stop panicking.”

**_Not panicking; don't be ridiculous._** It is obligatory they say this.

“Nope, sure, of course not; you're not panicking at all,” Eddie catches hold of their small head, holding it as he had earlier in the cup of his hand. He runs the pad of his thumb over the curve where their skull would be if they had one, “Try calming down a bit anyway? You didn’t hurt me. It just felt weird and kind of uncomfortable, that’s all.”

**_Weird and kind of uncomfortable are_ not _okay._** Venom refrains from pointing out this is an understatement, just as they refrain from licking his fingers.

“Venom,” Huffing, Eddie gives them a little shake, “Stop beating yourself up. I can feel you doing it.”

**_Not doing anything, Eddie,_** Damn it, now he’s thinking they sound sulky. They don’t dare bite him in objection. This slips out instead before they can stop it: **_Just like you._**

“I’m – doing nothing?” Eddie’s eyebrows shoot up, “This isn’t about breakfast, is it. You know you can always help yourself if you don't want to wait.”

**_We know that._** Venom glowers for lack of a better response. Something much like embarrassment is beginning to curdle their insides, mixing with the sour swirl of remorse. Eddie is being so soft with them. They’ve done worse to him in the past, much worse – they hate to think of it – but that's no excuse. Crowding a number of vital organs with stressed out symbiote is not fucking on.

“Hey,” For all Eddie was supposedly oblivious earlier, he easily picks up on this thought. He chucks them under their chin, “Hey seriously, don’t sweat it. How many times have I used you as a stress ball?”

The memory pulls Venom out of their funk enough to purr a little, **_That’s different. We like it._**

They _definitely_ like Eddie squeezing and plucking at them, digging his fingers into their mass, manipulating them firmly and deftly with his talented hands –

**_Ah._** Venom abruptly realises Eddie’s eyebrows are rising so high the wrinkles on his forehead are achieving whole new levels of depth. ** _That is to say, it’s not so bad._**

Thankfully Eddie’s snickering – and, just possibly, looking faintly flushed. A trickle of heat in his cheeks and down the back of his neck where there wasn’t any before.

“I think you mean you like it a _lot_ ,” he scoops up a couple of tendrils from where they’re resting on his chest. Then he _tugs_.

**_Eddieee._** Venom doesn’t mean to say his name like this (not a whine. It’s definitely not a whine). They also don’t mean to lose control of their form at the pleasure of it, collapsing through his fingers into a smudgy puddle across his chest.

Doing so brings their mouth very close to a nipple when they reform their face, visible under Eddie's t-shirt. But they’re not thinking about that (they’re totally thinking about it).

“So was your freak out about me pitching a tent?” Eddie’s stirring the mess of them with his fingertips, dipping his palms into them, rubbing them over his torso like an alien body scrub. This is _exceedingly distracting_. Which is why Venom says,

**_Yes._ **

Honestly they’re not even surprised when Eddie takes this in his stride (and this is part of the conundrum, part of the mystery: if their presence truly doesn’t bother him when he's aroused – even if it doesn’t do anything else – why won’t he just _get on with it_ nowadays?).

“How come?” Eddie pulls strands of them out as far as he can, seemingly idle fidgeting while they speak, letting them snap back after the gentle stretch (Venom damn well near moans. They don’t _have_ to let themselves feel this, but why the hell would they not? Instead they revel in it). His lips quirk to one side, “I _know_ you’d have made a big fuss way back if you had a problem with me getting a hard-on – it’s not like this is the first time it’s happened.” His smirk widens to encompass both sides of his mouth, “The same if you had a problem with me getting off. So why now, what gives?”

Does he seriously not know?

**_Eddie._** Not about to discourage Eddie’s ministrations, Venom pokes a new tendril out of his shoulder, giving Eddie’s hands room to continue playing with the rest of them like they’re putty. They form a head and eyes at the end of said tendril so they can level a look at him. ** _We never make a ‘big fuss’._**

Certainly not about erections anyway.

“Have you somehow forgotten I’ve been present for your many, many tantrums?” Eddie finds their protest far too funny, damn it.

**_Have you somehow forgotten what an orgasm is?_** Venom shoots back.

Their dumb human just snorts, “I reckon I’m unlikely to forget _that_.”

Venom momentarily considers sitting Eddie up and manoeuvring him out of bed just so they can bash their head against the wall. **_So why the hell don’t you want to have them anymore?_**

“I – ‘ _Course_ I want to have orgasms,” Eddie snickers, although there’s faint disquiet at the edges of his mind and he won’t quite make eye contact, his face flushing further: this feels more personal to him than the rest of their conversation so far. Even so he’s relaxed as he shrugs, “I’m just not that into it recently, I guess. There’s no point forcing it; if it’s going to happen, it’ll happen.”

This isn’t the entire reason, is it. But it’s an honest answer all the same.

**_Why?_** Venom sorely wants to ask about that mental box, but can’t deny the fear it would shut this down for good. They adamantly refuse to sound tentative, **_Eddie, why aren’t you ‘into it’? Your penis is erect now. You could do something about it._**

It’s true. Eddie’s dick wilted quite thoroughly on Venom’s little ‘freak out’, but it’s perked back up now they’re talking about it. It even twitches when Venom names it. But Eddie’s mind is –

His mind is not on it at all.

But, Venom realises, carefully so. He’s carefully not considering the state of his dick. Eddie’s happy to talk about it, but not, it seems, to really  _think_ about it. There's a disconnect there.

“You want me to knock one out?” If he keeps making this face, Eddie's features will all look like one giant wrinkle. He’s close to laughter though, “To spank that puppy?”

He’s – teasing them, isn’t he.

**_Eddie,_** Venom reforms their head nearer to his hand so they can bite down on his thumb warningly with their tiny teeth (not about to ever admit they like being teased).

“Oh wait, here’s a better one,” Eddie’s undeterred, too pleased with whatever his mind has produced even if he's still not thinking about certain things. He gives Venom a poke as if instructing them to pay attention, “Hey Venom, you want me to _ooze that noodle_?”

**_Ha ha ha._** Yeah okay, Venom has to snicker at that one, amused by Eddie’s amusement. Humans are such idiots.

“Shit, your laugh,” Their attempt at it only seems to deepen Eddie’s amusement. It also increases the affection he’s practically spewing across their bond. Venom would roll their eyes if they could, although they’re also helplessly grinning, just as helplessly fond.

**_Come on Eddie, jerk that gherkin._ **

“Venom, you dork,” Eddie’s spluttering, appreciating it just as much as if his own mind didn’t provide the phrase. It’s currently offering up a whole lot of ways to refer to masturbation. His cock certainly seems to appreciate this: it’s back to being just as hard as it was before the interruption, maybe even more so.

And even if Eddie’s brain doesn’t think he’s into it, Venom’s absolutely definite his dick would nevertheless thank him for the helping hand.

**_Listen, why_ don’t _you try for an orgasm?_** The good feelings passing between them make it easier for Venom to stomp down their pride along with all of their hunger and longing and want, and to offer, **_If you need us –_ me _– to, I will pay no attention._**

Privacy was an utterly bizarre concept to them for a long time, pointless and to be ignored; in many ways inherently _wrong_. But humans – including Eddie – place immense value on it.

Perhaps ultimately this is the reason for the mental box.

It still hurts to contemplate parting from Eddie, even so. But that’s not what is important here. Humans suffer if they deny the need to touch themselves and Eddie has gone far longer than he would normally without. Even if he doesn’t appear or claim to be adversely affected, Venom isn’t about to take the risk.

Eddie’s balls hitch up a bit as if sensing this and in gratefulness for the consideration.

**_I can turn off our connection temporarily. It is fine._ **

It isn’t fine in the slightest. But this doesn’t matter.

“Venom, hey,” Eddie is saying, his voice coaxing with an anxious undertone. It’s shameful how very relieving it is to sense just how little he likes the thought of being parted, “Hey, hey, no; that’s not it, buddy; I want _us_ , I want us always. I don’t want you to go closing yourself off from me for any reason at all.”

**_Eddie, please don’t worry; we won’t._** Venom headbutts him gently under the jaw, the majority of their tendrils puddling back inside his chest with the sheer weight of their relief.

“Don’t worry about me,” Eddie is quick to refute, his hands stroking their skin tender with sincere concern, “It’s you this is affecting, isn’t it. You’re serious about wanting me to get off.” He reaches down to adjust himself through his shorts, an almost subconscious gesture that Venom is very, very aware of, “You need me to because of the chemicals or something?”

It would be incredibly easy to say yes to this. A nicely convenient excuse Eddie’s just given them like a neat little gift.

Venom doesn’t reply. The chemicals Eddie explodes everywhere when he orgasms are deliriously tasty, but they’re not about to lie to him.

Eddie however seems to take their silence as agreement.

“Okay,” he says simply.

Venom can only peer at him, half in stunned hope, half in disbelief, **_Okay?_**

Is he really planning to –?

“Sure, why not; if you need it,” Eddie’s mind is resolute on this course of action he’s decided is necessary even if it’s not as – wholly enthusiastic – as Venom would really like it to be; even if there's still some disconnect there. Nonetheless Eddie’s cock leaks another wet patch onto his shorts. He chuckles sort of sheepishly and shrugs up at them, “Yeah, okay.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

It’s been so long – _weeks_ now.

Weeks of pitiful half-hearted failed attempts. Weeks of Eddie huffing mildly at his shrivelling dick as both he and it give up halfway. Weeks of Eddie then just fucking _shrugging this off_.

Without appearing to be bothered by it at all. The bastard.

( _Their_ bastard, that is. But still).

**_Eddie._** Venom’s close to chomping off no few of their tendrils in want and shuddering _need_. Whereas Eddie –

“Yep, that’s my name.”

– Eddie’s attention is all on Venom.

He’s smiling at them, reaching up to knuckle the top of their small head, “We’ll get you those chemicals, buddy, promise. You – ah. You okay, though?”

**_Hrrrgh._** The noise escapes before Venom can stop it, frustrated desire squashed and stifled until it squeaks out in a pathetic mewl. Refusing to acknowledge this – or any accompanying embarrassment – they concentrate on projecting _just how hard_ they’re rolling their eyes in answer.

Or would be. You know, if they had eyeballs.

“Hm?” Eddie’s mouth is quirking at the sound – fuck, he’s thinking they’re adorable. This isn’t allowed.

**_Eddie, that’s a dumb question._** Venom makes a little tendril to flick him admonishingly on the cheek, desperate to distract. The tip not quite accidentally brushes Eddie's lips –

“ _Oh_ –”

Something _ignites_ inside him, sudden and unexpected, sparking into brilliant life. His breathing hastens, heartbeat kicking up a notch.

**Ah _–_** Fuck _,_ but Venom wants to flick his dick like that, wants to _really_ make him jump. To light Eddie up like a beacon inside. To make him pant and wriggle and _writhe_.

But that something inside Eddie – that beautiful bright sensation – it’s swiftly disappearing.

_( **No wait, don’t go –** )_ They instinctively give chase, but it’s too late, too late.

The feeling's gone. Whisked away – into that bloody subconscious box?

Venom mentally eyes said box with utmost suspicion and no small amount of seething irritation (with irrepressible, stupid _hope_ ). Seeing its sides straining more than ever in order to contain all the thoughts trapped inside it, the steel bars near buckled, the padlocks warped and twisted; the whole construction battling to remain shut.

Yet Eddie – their oblivious wonderful idiot Eddie –  is seemingly unaware of his own reaction.

“Oi,” He’s laughing as if he didn’t even notice the way his heart leapt, making a play of cringing away from the offending tendril even as he delivers a retaliatory poke, “I think what you mean is –” He drops his voice an octave, rasping like he's been chewing glass or chain-smoking like hell, “ _Eddie, get with the program_.”

It’s a truly terrible impression.

“Right?”

However correct an assessment this is, Venom must object.

**_Eddie, we don’t sound anything like that._** Their affront only makes Eddie laugh harder. He tugs their small head in to tuck it against his collarbone, reeling the rest of them in tight against his chest.          

**_Eddie!_** Venom therefore shoots a couple of fresh tendrils out of him so they can flail in indignant protest – if not _too_ much, for it’s amazing, it's _amazing_ : the heat and smell of him, the strength of his arms around them, the blood and bone and breath. All the fondness he’s still vomiting over their bond.

They burrow their face into his neck without meaning to and squeeze their eyes shut, longing to increase their size, to have Eddie hold them like that, to hold him back. Not daring to, though: not about to risk the possibility it might freak him out. Not about to risk the likelihood it would make him stop.

Not that he’s particularly _started_ , but still.

“Okay buddy,” Eddie’s fingers tighten briefly, before smoothing gentle against their skin. His voice, in contrast, sounding oddly choked, “I admit it, you’re right: you sound way cooler than that.”

**_Of course we’re right._** As much as they seek to hold onto their huff, Venom near melts the second Eddie presses his cheek against the top of their head. **We _sound cool._**

This makes Eddie grin broadly enough all his wrinkles appear in their full glory.

“Yeah – yeah, we do.” He snorts, “Most of the time, anyway. Because I can think of a few really uncool examples to regale you with, if you like.”  

**_Never happened._** Venom allows themselves an indulgent moment, snuggling into him yet closer, tongue slipping out across their teeth to swipe up his scent. _Aching_ to lick Eddie’s neck. The soft vulnerable length of it so tempting, bare millimetres away from their mouth.

“S-sure, if you say so,” Eddie’s voice cracks as if he’s picking up on at least some of this, for all he’s busy knuckling their head again, apparently casual.

His heart's still beating faster than usual even so; body thrumming tight with tension for all his brain’s disconnect. Unflagging cock thick and heavy, trapped in his shorts, a tangible weight against his stomach.

It’s been verging on painful for a while now.

**_Eddie?_** It would be secretly tempting stay cuddled up to him for the rest of the day, if Venom didn’t feel like chewing themselves up from the inside out. Eddie’s dick feels like an arrow pointed up the line of his torso towards them and they to it. **_Remember how you forgot about orgasms? Have you also forgotten how masturbating works?_**

“I think I’ve had enough practice not to have forgotten,” Eddie splutters with amusement. He draws one of his hands off their tendrils, dropping it to his chest, his fingers coming to rest close to a nipple. The little bud wrinkles tighter in hope, but his attention –

His attention is _still_ on them.

( ** _Fuck, fucking –_ argh**).

In any other situation this would be highly gratifying, but right now it’s simply getting ridiculous.

Eddie snickers as if he catches the adjective, but persists nonetheless, “Look, I know you think it’s a dumb question, but _are_ you okay? Maybe _I’m_ dumb, but I’m about to stick my hand in my pants here and I can sense you feeling so wound up my bones are rattling. Even my teeth are vibrating.”

**_Shit_**. Venom endeavours to damp down on any and all vibration; completely fails. The sincerity Eddie’s shovelling at them as he fumbles over his words is almost too much to handle.

“So yeah. I kind of need to actually know for certain you’re all right, before we –” His mind hiccups on the pronoun before he pretends he didn’t say it, “Before I get on with that program. Because, you know. I reckon it’s important.”

His thoughts inform them quite clearly: _because you’re important to me._

**_E-Eddie_** **–**

No one has ever said such things to them before. Venom simply has to bite Eddie’s neck, blunting their teeth: it’s that or hide forever in his spleen. **_Not dumb. You’re perfect._**

How they mean this.

“Ah –” Though he can't quite believe the description, Eddie jolts at the nip. That _something_ inside him startles, rippling back into life, racing through him and making him shiver.

**_Mmph._** Venom crushes down on a tremble of their own. They're powerless not to bite again, that bit harder.

Eddie’s cock jerks.

“H-hey –” Arousal kicks hard in his guts, punches its way right through to his brain, “ _Fuck._ ”

His hand flies off his chest, diving down under the covers to grasp at the hem of his shorts, a last second change in destination from its intended target. His cock leaks another wet splurt of precome all the same.

It’s like he’s been plugged into his own body at long fucking last.

“J-Jesus, buddy,” Eddie's voice is deliciously unsteady, heart tripping all over itself, “Warn a guy, would you?”

**_Oh_** ** _fuck –_** Venom’s also leaking, drool smearing on his neck and over their own skin. So in tune with Eddie’s dick right now it’s like a very specific form of symbiosis. But Eddie –

Eddie really wants their answer to his question, doesn’t he.

So.

**_We’re – we’re just peachy, Eddie._** Sentence formation is extremely difficult, as is coherent thought, **_Why wouldn’t we be? Stop fretting._** They’re babbling, fuck. **_We’re good. You’re good. It’s just –_**

Shit, do they sound breathy? They don’t even have lungs –

Yet Venom’s hard put not to gasp.

“Yeah?” Eddie’s laugh is uneven as he palms his cock through his shorts, relief lancing through him for more than one reason; ultimately more reassured by their words than his own touch. His hips shoot up, grinding his dick into the heel of his hand.

_( **Oh fuck fuck fuck –** ) _Venom very nearly headbutts him in the throat with the strength of their enthusiastic spasm. They whip themselves back just in time.

“Going to tell me what it’s ‘just’, though?” Eddie’s other hand clamps down gently on the back of the tendril acting as their neck, halting them as if he’s afraid they’re planning a further retreat (they’re really, really not). “Whatever you say, I _do_ feel kind of dumb: I’ve been cock-blocking myself for no reason, haven’t I. You really are all scrunched up inside just because I’ve been making you wait for those chemicals and not **_–_** not anything else?”

His thumb traces an arch that makes Venom all but splodge into a blissful puddle.

**_Eddie –_** There’s nothing else they can possibly say to this. Even if it’s not true. **_Fucking –_ yes. _Without wanting to offend your delicate sensibilities: get the bloody hell on with it._**

Thankfully Eddie takes this encouragement in the spirit it’s intended.

“Yeah – yeah, let’s go for it then,” He’s chuckling as he spreads his knees beneath the duvet and digs his hand under his waistband, delving into his shorts.

_**Fuck –**  _Venom stiffens to immediate full alert.

Everything feels as if it leaps into high definition the instant Eddie cups his balls, time seeming to somehow speed up and yet also slow down.

“Uhhh,” he gets a good grip, gives a quelling squeeze where it counts, tugging in the attempt to lessen some of the tension there with debatable success, “Okay. Okay.” Then he catches hold of his cock, body shaking with a rush of uncontrollable relief after being so long deprived. Eddie winces through it, “Ugh. Guess this isn’t going to take long.”

He gets to work.

_( **Fuck fuck fuck fu – uh no, wait a minute** ). _Startled out of their exceedingly eager anticipation, Venom blinks. Something is unexpectedly wonky, a feeling registering as _not right_. _( **What –?** )_

Eddie’s fucking _finally_ damn well going for it.

This should be everything they were hoping for. Right? Everything Venom's so appallingly desperate for; everything they _both_ so badly need.

And yet –

Eddie’s gone for plain, straightforward wanking: hand cranking up and down, fingers and thumb in a snug circle around his cock. This is – could be – pretty fucking fantastic on its lonesome, if he put time and heart into it, especially given the mega long, mega excruciating wait they’ve had up until now.

That is, if his rhythm wasn’t randomly really fucking _fast:_ he’s just dived into jacking himself off as if it’s a race. Gunning for the finish line when normally he’d have barely begun.

This is notably different from Eddie’s typical solitary masturbation techniques.

_( **Why the fuck –** )_

Venom is admittedly well-versed in Eddie’s previous exploits (of all kinds): memories they spied back when they first bonded, back before they had those fun chats about things like _privacy_ and _respect_. Back when it just provided them amusement to try and fluster Eddie by occasionally and unpredictably teasing him about some of his more lurid sexual encounters at inappropriate moments.

Back when it didn’t mean anything.

For the same reason, Venom is aware of fantasies Eddie’s honed over the years, shaped by the teamwork of his imagination and hand. A series of comfortingly familiar scenarios of varying degrees of filth he hasn’t summoned up into conscious thought in ages.

Not since all this started, in fact: not since he first failed to get off.

Fantasies Eddie similarly isn’t resorting to now.

“Ah _– guh_ ,” Instead his mind flickers, producing an image of – _something_. A dark shape.

For all it’s undefined, it’s enough to make his brain shimmer and flare with startling, incredible _want_ –

Before Eddie mentally shoves the thought away with brutal strength.

“Fuck,” Panting, he makes himself concentrate on the cracks in the ceiling, “ _Shit_.” Working his hand even harder in bloody-minded determination; chewing the inside of his cheek to hide a grimace.

**_Um._** Venom is _really_ not sure they should speak: doesn’t want to interrupt, doesn’t trust their own voice. All of their own need clawing fiercely inside them, _clamouring_ to be let out. But –

**_Eddie?_ **

“It’s all – all right, bud; we’re getting there,” Eddie’s dick is appreciating the workout, at least – anything whatsoever, in its opinion, right now is good. And it’s true: he’s pushing up into it and yeah, they are mostly getting there, but –

In honesty, it kind of hurts.

Only a little, but it’s still enough to be off-putting: hypersensitive skin chafing when it really doesn’t want to be chafed. A fresh gob of precome rolls down from the head of Eddie’s dick to streak over his knuckles, but he doesn’t make use of it when he so very easily could – and should. Nor does he go for the lube Venom knows he stashes in the top drawer of the nightstand.

It’s been long enough the lid is gummed shut.

“Ffff –” Eddie’s launched from zero to one hundred without preamble, a much faster pace than he’d normally go for and no build up. No attempt to tease himself, no playing with his nipples or idle juggling of his balls. No thrashing around getting caught up in the sheets, snickering uncontrollably at his own fumbling even as he gasps. No moaning or drooling or trying for those three fingers he’s yet to achieve.

Not even trying for one. His poor prostate is practically crying in confusion and loneliness.

Instead Eddie’s just racing for the finish. Because –

“Hnghhh,” Because he’s almost thinking of _something_ again. Something he’s stubbornly determined _not_ to think of.

That fucking mental box is rattling unbearably in his head, sharp edges banging into the sides of his skull: whatever is in there is fighting full force to get out. Venom wants to _destroy_ that box, to tear it to shreds and spit on the remains –

The growl rumbles out of them irrepressibly, long and low and deep, filling the bedroom with its sound.

“ _F-fuck_ –” Eddie gasps like he’s lightning-struck. His back arches up off the mattress as his whole body stiffens. His other hand clenching hard around their tendrils, clutching at them like a lifeline. “Fuck, _Venom_ –”

Their name rings out in the suddenly silent room even louder than their growl.

Several things happen simultaneously:

Eddie freezes. His hand cramps around his strangled dick, balls throbbing in urgent protest. His mind blaring a litany of _fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck_.

**_Eddieee –_ **

Venom helplessly fucking _whimpers_. Orgasm smacks into them unstoppably, blunt as a fist to the face. Any control they have over their form vanishes and they collapse all over the pillow and Eddie and the bed.

“ _Nnn_ –” A whine leaks out of Eddie’s gritted teeth before he cuts it off so abruptly he chokes. He also comes.

Doesn’t he?

There’s a lot of extra stickiness on his fingers, that's for sure. So why –

Why doesn’t orgasm feel like – like stars and rainbows and all that awesome crap Venom was so so _so_ looking forward to?

Where is that feeling of – of tension released? Of euphoria. Of pleasure and overwhelming _relief_?

Instead there’s a feeling of quiet blankness coming from Eddie’s side of their bond. Venom’s own thoughts aren’t exactly up to full speed, but there’s no denying it: he’s not blocking them, not seemingly doing anything consciously to keep them out, but –

Eddie’s not really processing what happened, is he. Not really acknowledging it.

That mental box is now barricaded behind a heavy door to a solitary room in the far reaches of his mind.

Venom stares at that door for a long moment, numb.

“Ughhh,” Then Eddie shakes himself back to life. He wipes his hand on the sheets, kicks off the duvet and peels himself off the mattress, sitting up – and scoops Venom into his lap.

Shocked, they don’t resist. Making a single tiny eye, they peep up at him, find him smiling crookedly down at them in response. Eddie gives them a ruffle, fingers curling around the limp little tendril they just about manage to form.

**_Eddie?_** Venom dares to whisper. They latch onto the answering fondness that seeps into them through his touch, clinging to the fact he’s holding them. Far too aware of the proximity and fragrant scent of his softening dick.

They lick at their teeth. **_I’m sorry._**

“Mm?” Eddie's gaze drops for half a second to their tongue before it skitters away. He rotates his shoulders until they crunch, then clears his throat, “Don’t be; don’t worry about it. Win some, lose some – it's my fault, really. I shouldn’t have forced it. But it did it for you, right? Got you those chemicals?”

**_Near enough_** is the only thing Venom can think to say that isn’t a lie.

“Good,” Eddie relaxes a whole lot, both body and mind, “ _Good_. Okay then, let’s get breakfast. And coffee.” Hefting them up higher in his arms, he staggers up out of bed towards the kitchen, “Coffee is most definitely next on the list.”

_Fuck._

Inside, where Eddie can't hear it, Venom despairs.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie gets his coffee - eventually. Is there any hope for Venom?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Includes a fair amount of Eddie POV.

Heavy drops of rain splatter the windows, dark clouds smeared low over the city outside as they stumble into the kitchen in silence. Or rather it’s silent until Eddie finishes fiddling with the coffee machine, tossing out the old grounds, and thumbs on the radio like an afterthought, like he isn’t seeking noise to fill the distance between them, the space of things unsaid.

It’s possible he isn’t, in fact. His thoughts are on coffee after all.

Something moronic warbles through the radio’s tinny speakers, moaning on about love. Venom hunkers inside Eddie, ignoring the song. Tucking one tendril in after the other, slowly receding as if this way he won’t notice; refusing to crush themselves into a lump like they want to – or better yet into nothingness – because their retreat doesn’t mean anything.

Damn it, it’s _not_ a retreat. They just don’t feel like manifesting physically right now.

Anyway.

Eddie’s feeling shitty from the rushed orgasm. He’s stretching though, absently scratching his arse, determined not to acknowledge he’s out of sorts. Set on shrugging it off mentally in the same way he’s shrugged off his previous lack of orgasms.

So far however the attempt is not going too well.

“Ughhh, damn it,” Eddie’s insides are feeling weirdly gritty, muscles twinging, random little aches and pains playing up. Tension nagging at his shoulders and upper chest, grumbling down the length of his spine. All of this topped by a dull grind in his pelvis; a definite sulk in his balls.

His dick isn’t happy either, twitching away from the rub of his shorts, throwing up a fuss about the rough treatment it received from his hand.

Venom could smooth away these physical niggles without effort; they could easily help Eddie in his quest not to acknowledge his own body, but – yeah. They’re kind of not feeling like enabling that right now.

“Hey buddy?” Eddie plucks at his sweaty t-shirt so it hangs away from his body as he locates his usual cup. The song on the radio wavering on towards the big chorus, the singers bleating about never being able to live apart from one another.

Like crap they can’t.

**_What?_ **

Venom forms a vengeful little tendril to turn the noise off with a poke. Aware of Eddie’s brow furrowing as he considers them, his mind searching for something to ask other than _you okay?_

“You want cereal?” he settles on.

_Eddie, that’s a dumb question_. Too aware of the last time they said this, Venom refrains from pointing this out.

**_With chocolate milk_**. They open the fridge instead. **_You can have your normal boring flavourless stuff. We’ll get it for us._**

“Okay,” Eddie snorts back a laugh at the description. Says unthinkingly, “Thanks, Ven–”

Their name dies half unsaid, cut off by a strangled wheeze. Fresh memory slamming into both of them simultaneously: the circumstances in which he last said their name.

Eddie’s cock throbs. In protest at how hard he squeezed it then, no doubt.

The heavy door to the forbidden room in the back of his head opens an inch – only to slam shut again, bolts snapping back into place.

**_No!_** Venom blurts before they can stop themselves, cringing at how this might be interpreted. Their name in Eddie’s voice is one of their ultimate favourite ever sounds: it’s right up there, even more than his laugh.

(Equal only to the beat of his heart).

If Eddie can’t – _won’t_ – say it anymore –

**Fuck** _._

“Yeah,” Eddie’s chuckling and wincing at once, rubbing the back of his head with a hand, “Yeah, ‘fuck’ kind of sums it up, doesn’t it. Anyway. All I meant was – uh. Thanks, pal. You know, for sorting out breakfast.”

Fuck, but this is _agonising_. Venom’s incredibly tempted to throw the coffee machine at the wall along with all the crockery.

**_You are welcome_** , they say instead, as steadily as they are able.

Then, that said, there’s nothing to do but _sort out breakfast_. Retrieve the milk from the fridge and open the cupboard where the bowls are nominally kept, taking two down, depositing them on the counter. Accepting the spoons Eddie fishes out of the cutlery drawer; pretending they’re not dancing around each other.

This whole thing is stupid. Venom’s just –

_Stupid_.

“Buddy, I –” Chewing the corner of his lower lip, Eddie fiddles with the handle of his cup, “I’m sorry I couldn’t get you a good dose of those chemicals: ‘near enough’ actually meant ‘nowhere near enough’, didn’t it. I can sense how low you’re feeling.”

Damn. Why’d he have to pick _now_ of all moments to be perceptive?

That is, to an extent.

**_Eddie. Quit worrying about the chemicals; they’re not that big a deal._** It’s an undeniable relief to belatedly tell the truth. Venom precisely measures out cereal, keeping their attention fixed on the task so not to let slip about – well, anything further. **_We’re just – in a funk._**

That’s one way of putting it.

“Shit, that sucks,” Eddie seems to accept this explanation for the most part, thank fuck. His grimace gains additional depth however; Venom can sense the churn of his thoughts as he continues to internally berate himself, “Sorry it’s probably my fault.”

It –

It really _isn’t_ his fault, is it. However much it’s admittedly sometimes tempting to blame him.

**_Stop apologising._** Venom simply has to touch Eddie right then; can’t prevent themselves. They slide a tendril out of his upper arm, large enough to loop around his neck like a scarf. **_And – likewise. You’re feeling shitty too, aren’t you. My responsibility. Shouldn’t have pushed you into trying for that orgasm._**

They have no doubt whatsoever this is where he’ll claim everything’s peachy keen on his end regardless of any and all evidence to the contrary.

But –

But Eddie doesn't. Rather he slumps back against the counter, going soft and boneless as they settle around his shoulders; Venom making their weight tangible when both his brain and body react with wonderfully gratifying relief.

“You didn’t push me into anything, bud,” Knots ease in Eddie's shoulders and back as he huffs ruefully, rubbing the heel of his hand across his face, “Fuck, we’re as bad as each other, aren’t we. I thought you were pissed off with me. You felt so quiet inside; it was really out of character.”

A fair amount of that awful blank, frozen feeling inside Venom is melting into gooey sludge.

**_Eddie, you idiot._** They thread a few additional slender tendrils around him, give him a lightly chiding squeeze. **_We’re not pissed off with you._**

“Glad to hear it,” Good feelings burst into Eddie’s mind as he lowers his hand to his chest, catching hold of them and squeezing gently in return. “Need to go out, get some heads later? We could binge on chocolate too – be really gross about it.”

**_And sashimi._** Venom might as well take advantage of the opportunity to gorge on their favourite foods. And hey why not, also Eddie’s: **_And that greasy pizza you like._**

They curl the tip of their smallest tendril around his wrist, endeavouring to ignore the ache of longing that strikes them inside.

Wishing not to wish for anything more.

“Heads and chocolate and sashimi and pizza it is then,” His smile breaking over his face, Eddie closes his fingers around the tiny tendril when it creeps towards his palm despite Venom’s best intentions, “Though you know, maybe not at the same time. And maybe not in that order.”

**_Whatever you want, Eddie._ **

“Heh, thanks,” Eddie ducks his head as if to hide the fact he’s for some unknown reason a little touched, a little charmed; heat trickling into his ears and his cheeks. Maybe because they included the pizza. “Anything else for you while we’re at it, pal?”

_( **Don’t call me that** ) _Venom wants to say. Anything else –

Anything else just seems impossible. Except –

**_Eddie. What_ ** **do _you want?_**

Even as they ask this, they produce his cup – very carefully filled with coffee while his attention was on them and not on what a couple of tendrils were subtly doing behind his back, a teeny tiny mouth momentarily formed at the end of one to check the drink's not gone bitter.

**_Other than this._** They press it into his hand.

“I –” Eddie starts. Blinks down at his cup with a look of almost constipated realisation: at the proof he _completely forgot_ about his coffee in favour of thinking about them. Despite all the bloody importance he’s been insisting on putting on the stuff for so long.

Venom doesn’t intentionally give him their smuggest grin; it just happens.

“Oh shit, _I love you_ ,” Eddie breathes in rapture –

Then he’s practically drowning himself in his drink, guzzling as much as he can manage in one long swallow rather than identifying who exactly that remark was aimed at – Venom or the coffee – heedless of the scalding heat that lances through him from mouth to stomach.

Venom shifts their larger tendril out of the way to give him room to work and watches, intent on Eddie and the way his head tips back and how his throat moves. Soothing the pain away before it’s felt.

Eddie outright _moans_ , the fucking bastard, “Mmm, _fuck_ that’s good –”

Damn shit fucking crap –

(Venom _writhes_ in want for him _,_ deep inside where it can’t be felt). And –

_Ugh_.

Why.

Why why why couldn’t Eddie have sounded even _half_ this fucking enthusiastic when he came? They really would accuse him of developing a fetish if the thought didn’t sting so badly.

“Okay –” Eddie surfaces to gasp for air only when he’s down to the dregs, “Okay –”

He reels Venom in before they can react and drops a kiss on top of their small head.

**_Mmph!_** Their eyes fly shut as they hastily strangle the sound, skin tingling wildly where his lips brush.

Eddie pours himself another cup, chugs that one as well, “Okay, you’re awesome, that was awesome; I’m sorry I’m crap and suck at wanking. Let’s make up for all that shit beforehand, huh? Let’s eat our cereal if it’s not mush and go out and –”

**_Eddie._** Venom sticks the cold carton of Eddie’s bland boring milk against the back of his neck. ** _Breathe._**

“Gah!” Eddie _shrieks_.

They nudge his bowl towards him once he’s done flailing. **_We know you hate mush. Now pour your milk on your cereal._**

“Venom, you _bastard_ –” Eddie very, very nearly tackles them to the floor. They can almost see it: milk flying everywhere as he wrestles them down. He’d have done it without thinking, if it weren’t for earlier this morning.

(If he hadn’t orgasmed with their saliva on his neck and their name on his lips –)

Instead he shoves a handful of dry cereal into Venom’s mouth. Venom –

Would growl, likewise if it weren’t for this morning. They content themselves in crunching down the mouthful as loudly and obnoxiously as possible, then lick their teeth clean. Trying not to make anything of the quick sideways glances Eddie pretends not to shoot them as they do this.

Ignoring the ache inside them for that bit of distance – the hesitation – that remains.

So this is –

It’s not perfect. It’s far from perfect. But it’s definitely better than before.

And _Eddie’s_ perfect; he always is. He’s said their name without hitch or hindrance and he’s laughing, tipping a handful of chocolate chips out of their packet to scatter over Venom’s cereal. Venom snatches a couple and shoves them into Eddie’s mouth (trying, _trying_ to focus only on payback and to not notice the plump softness of his lips –).

And maybe –

Maybe this can be enough.

Even if it's not.

\---

(Deep down, Eddie’s conscious it isn’t enough for him either. Is extremely aware of the fact he’s a _fucking worthless idiot_ _loser_ who nearly ruined everything: in his life history of self-sabotaging disasters, this instance still stands out.

Because he _knows_ something’s bugging Venom, has been increasingly for weeks now whatever they claim – just “in a funk” his ass. He’s quite capable of picking up on how they buckle down inside him whenever he gets the least bit wound up (it's come to feel much like a whole body toothache which, yeah, is no little off-putting, regardless how sure he is they don't mean it). Can feel how they wind themselves tighter and tighter like a coiled little spring all ready to explode everywhere in a frothing burst of toothy frustration whenever he fails to get off, which –

Well, no pressure there then. Not that he's expecting them to judge his performance or anything –

Nope, he can totally see that happening, in fact. Is kind of surprised it hasn't yet to be honest, given the amusement they've got out of some of his more ill-advised past exploits (which are, to be fair, pretty fucking funny in hindsight. A number of them also at the time).

Anyway.

He’d really believed (really convinced himself) Venom's ongoing freakout was due to the whole ‘need for chemicals’ thing; this similarly providing a neat, convenient means of explaining their strop over his, ah, accidental boner problem this morning. Had really hoped managing a successful jerk-off would be just the ticket for smoothing this whole business over, would get Venom those endorphins or whatever it was they required so badly (and also, just as crucially, that it would get – well, _certain impulses_ out of Eddie’s own stupid system).

Especially given Venom had been _egging him on_.

Except –

Except as soon as Eddie had got started (aiming to make it as quick as possible to avoid thinking of – of anything his other _really_ wouldn’t thank him for thinking about), the strain fog-horning from Venom’s side of the bond had become _so_ _much worse._

As had the certainty they were doing their utmost to keep this from him. Failing no small amount, but trying their very best.

Given the massive bloody wall Venom’s been seemingly endeavouring to construct to try and block off no few of their emotions from making it through to him over the last few weeks – opaque and impossible to know how intentional it is –

And given how obvious they've become about _fucking refusing to tell him anything_ half the time, well –

Well.

Chances are they’ve developed some buyer’s regret about being bonded to this needy, leaky human who can’t even be content with the _absolute_ _best thing to ever happen to him_. And this thought – the thought of Venom realising Eddie's vast realms away from being in any way near perfect, of them realising just how shoddy an excuse for a functioning person he is and always shall be –

This thought is bleakly, horribly _terrifying_.

As such Eddie definitely can’t risk changing the status quo any more than – crap, fuck – he already has. Definitely can't risk admitting even to himself that – that –

_Anyway_.

The whole thing’s so self-defeating he’d laugh, if he didn’t suspect this would result in a hissy fit of epic proportions.

As they eat their cereal at the table, Eddie manages not to think about how bloody adorable Venom’s round little head is (or just how fucking _appealing_ they are full size as well – nope, not going there. Not going there _at all_ ). He equally succeeds in not noticing the way sunlight finally breaking through the grey clouds outside pales in comparison to all the many glowing colours of their opalescent eyes.

At least, he doesn't notice much.

In a way – far, far in the back of his head where he desperately shoves such dangerous thoughts – Eddie’s really quite grateful they’ve taken to manifesting as their small cute self more and more often of late, albeit for reasons known only to Venom. Means he’s less likely to have to catch himself before he can hopelessly moon.

Not that there’s any reason he’d be mooning, of course. Because that would be – would be –

Yep, moving on.

Even so, even for all Eddie’s good intentions, it’s still exceedingly difficult not to react when the little demon tucks their teeth away and starts giving fucking fellatio to their fucking spoon in the attempt to slurp up every last drop of chocolate milk. So focused on their food it’s doubtful they even remember he’s _there_. Which is –

Which is a damned immense relief, given Venom then progresses onto cleaning out their bowl with messy little kitten licks, chasing stray chocolate chips with enthusiastic rumbling growls.

The sound takes Eddie right back to all the things he’s definitely not fucking thinking about ever, such as coming with the taste of their name in his mouth and his hand on his dick this morning, _fuck_ –

Fuck.

Smacking his head repeatedly against the table is starting to look highly tempting. Because if there’s anything Eddie’s wholly certain his funky alien symbiote body-sharing best friend ( _most important person ever_ ) has no real idea about or actual interest in whatsoever –

That is, other than to snigger over or in a sense of ‘must encourage Eddie to fulfil his weird squishy human needs for his mental and physical wellbeing, and possibly as a bonus for those supposedly not-so-important chemicals’ –

It’s sex).

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie stirs things up, ends up in a compromising position again and a conversation might finally be had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case, as it applies more from this chapter on: friend I'm writing this for wants a non-binary, pretty gender fluid Venom so that's how they're presented here, more or less.

 

The lull that follows breakfast brings with it a new form of torture.

Eddie’s shifting where he sits on the edge of his chair, uncomfortable, crossing and uncrossing his ankles, tapping his fingers on the table. Playing with his spoon as he waits for Venom to finish; making a poor pretence at being relaxed.

Busy hunting down their last couple of chocolate chips, defeating them in their futile quest for escape at the bottom of their bowl, Venom considers this.

For however absorbed they are in their food, they’re still intently aware of Eddie: aware that the gritty ache plaguing his limbs and organs has receded enough to make way for something else, something that keeps attempting to rise to the forefront of his mind, nagging at his consciousness. An urge that’s amazingly somehow even stronger than his bloody-minded insistence on ignoring his body.

An urge that seems to be all  _about_  his body, in fact.

“Ugh,” Huffing not quite inaudibly, Eddie presses his thighs together under the table, briefly yet vividly imagining squeezing his balls.

Then, still squirming, he endeavours to convince himself he considered no such thing.

**_Hmm._ **

Given the amount of coffee he’s consumed, Venom double checks just in case such behaviour is due to the need to pee. Once they’ve established Eddie’s bladder isn’t responsible, they feel safe in returning to their original theory: they’re pretty damned fucking certain that ‘something’ Eddie’s trying so hard not to think of is sex.

Or rather, he’s trying not to think of masturbating.

It seems the crappy third-rate orgasm was at least good for one thing: it’s reminded Eddie’s body what it’s been missing out on over the past few weeks. His system’s now recovered enough from the disappointment to begin throwing up a hellish fuss over the poor treatment it received, clamouring loudly for the real deal.

“Radio on again, bud?” Having given up on his spoon as a means of diversion, their (perfect, infuriating) human resorts to searching for something else to distract himself.

**_No, thank you_** **.**  Venom’s not about to risk more bloody  _love songs_. They pour themselves into their empty bowl in protest at the mere thought, small so they fit, turning their body into temporary soup. Not feeling at all sullen, thank you very much.

“Aw hey, look at you gone all gloopy,” For some unfathomable reason, Eddie seems to think this is  _cute_.

Scandalised, Venom thus sends up jagged fangs to circle threateningly like deadly little shark fins on their ‘surface’ in protest.  ** _Grrr._**

“Hello Grrr,” Grinning, unfazed, Eddie demonstrates his astonishing lack of a sense of self-preservation (or possibly any sense whatsoever) by dunking his fingers without warning right into the heart of their toothy liquid self, entirely unmindful of his  _fragile, eminently shreddable, breakable flesh._

**_Mmph!_** Venom spasms uncontrollably at the unexpected poke _,_ arousal striking them fast and hard as a punch. At the same time their teeth all reflexively close in to savage the tasty snack that’s presented itself –

**_Eddie!_** Hastily preventing themselves from automatically acting as an Idiot Human spiralizer takes an unprecedented amount effort in such a state.  ** _You moron, do you_ want _us to bite you?!_**

“ _Guh_ ,” Eddie jolts much like someone jabbed him in the liver – or grabbed him by the balls. His hand flies to his neck, right to where they bit him as they lay in bed that morning while he attempted not to touch his cock.

**_Guh –_** It’s only luck Venom doesn’t slosh out of their bowl and onto his lap.  ** _E-Eddie?_**

“I – heh. Nah, no, ah. No biting,” As if to contradict this, Eddie’s own blunt little teeth chomp down hard on his lower lip. He’s – not thinking about sex. He’s totally not thinking at all about sex. Or masturbation.

Or secretly wondering if their earlier bite left a mark.

_( **Fuck oh fuck oh fuck –** ) _Venom totally isn’t thinking about any such thing either.

Similarly they’re not highly alert to the fact Eddie’s dick has gone tingly with all of his  _not thinking_  about sex, of the scratch of the tacky patch of drying precome on his sleeping shorts against tender skin, of the sudden guilty lurch in his balls.

“Right, I’m um – yeah. I’m just going to, you know. Stop.” Eddie can’t quite seem to look at them. He clears his throat, straightening up on his chair, striving to force himself to calm down.

**_Okay Eddie._** Venom is only half listening, attention diverted by that ever so enticing tingly feeling. For all Eddie’s mental instructions to his cock, it’s not particularly listening to him either.

“Okay, best hurry up,” He determinedly shakes himself into ‘going out’ mode regardless, “Shower, get dressed, get on. Maybe do some footwork for an article before having our awesome lunch. Then we could do something cool in the afternoon – you can choose what.”

**_Okay Eddie._** While Venom would normally leap on the opportunity, right now they’re caught up in the memory of nestling their face in the crook of his neck; of biting gently down.

Of how it felt when Eddie first wrapped his hand around his cock, back before things went wrong. Wondering whether he’ll give in and do it again.

Wondering if he might give in and do it again soon. If perhaps he might even do it again today.

“Hey Venom?” Busy focusing on anything else whatsoever other than such thoughts, Eddie has begun gathering up the breakfast things, darting a glance at where they’re splodged in their bowl. An affectionate smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. “You want to keep chilling out in there while I get cleaned up?”

Immensely distracted as they are, Venom signally fails to answer.

“Venom?” Eddie’s eyebrows rise. He pauses, waiting a moment just in case they respond. When nothing happens, he ever so casually picks up his cereal spoon. Watching to check they don’t notice.

“Wakey wakey, cutie pie,” Then, smirking, he gives them a jaunty stir.

**_Eep!_** Venom completely fails to prevent an incredibly undignified squawk, suddenly spun in every direction, tendrils sprouting out unstoppably, flailing at the unanticipated attack.

“Sorry, sorry – did that catch you off guard?” Eddie creases up laughing so hard tears spring into his eyes, doubling over himself, “M-my bad.”

He’s not the tiniest bit sorry, the bastard.

(More like delighted, in fact).

**_Not cute! Or a pie!_**  Excruciatingly flustered – and unbearably aroused – Venom doesn’t think. Doesn’t stop to consider, doesn’t recognise that possibly this might not be the very best of ideas. They simply solidify –

**_Grrr!_** And launch themselves at his face.

“Not the face, not the face!” Eddie screeches, staggers and goes down, spluttering and snorting all over them, helpless with laughter.

**_Arghhh._** Venom proceeds to do a particularly vivid slow motion impression of eating his head, harmlessly gnawing, relishing the resultant squeals.

“Nooo, why must there always be so much  _drool_  –”

Savouring the feeling of  _just how very much_  Eddie does not mean his protests. Their senses flooded with just how fucking bloody amazing it feels to be touching him while he’s all warm with amusement, good-smelling and hot-blooded, and they’re so so so full of desire for him –

**_We’ve got you, Eddie!_** Thoroughly enjoying Eddie’s wriggling and thrashing as he rolls on the floor in a pretence at getting away, Venom spills out of him – in their entirety. Swelling swiftly to their full size, they build themselves a body to –

_Pin him down_  –

_“_ Oh fuck,” Eddie’s breath catches so hard he chokes, his eyes flying open wide as his body jerks under theirs, “ _Venom_  –”

His heart  _thuds_.

**_Oh fuck._** Venom abruptly realises exactly what they’ve just done; what position they’re in.

If they had a heart, they’re absolutely certain it would thud just the same.

_( **Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck** )._

Frozen, they stare down at him: Eddie who is barely dressed, tangled up in his crumpled t-shirt and cruddy sleep shorts. Sweating beneath them, on his back on the floor as their knees frame his hips. Their hands around his wrists, holding him in place –

_( **Fuck this is the fucking**_ **best thing ever _but oh fuck oh fuck_** _)._

“Uh –” Eddie’s pulse has leapt into to overdrive. He’s staring up at them likewise, not blinking, lips numb. Everything he was adamantly  _not thinking_ about crashing back over him in a tidal wave, joined with a whole lot of  _other_  thoughts. Venom can –

Venom can feel that heavy door in the back of his mind creaking open.

Can feel his cock filling, so rapidly and enthusiastically it almost hurts.

**_E –_** Their voice breaks on the sound. They can’t say Eddie’s name; can’t speak at all. Can hardly even think.

“Hey big guy,” There’s an intriguingly husky rasp to his tone. Eddie swallows compulsively, trying to even it out. Flexing his hands to test their grip, rather than in protest, “Haven’t, uh. Haven’t seen you in a while.” His mouth quirks much as if he wants to chew his lip, but isn’t letting himself. “So. Hi.”

This reaction probably shouldn’t cause Venom to feel a surge of affection for their dumb human, but it does, oh it does.

Stronger even than all of their want.

Slowly, carefully, they let go of one of Eddie’s wrists to brush their fingers through the softness of his hair, marvelling at it. Quivering at the low noise he muffles in the back of his throat as he melts into the touch.

**_Hi Eddie,_** Still petting, they scrape their act together enough to give him their best grin.  ** _You called?_**

“I did?” His forehead wrinkles as he cracks an answering grin, “Yeah, seems I did.”

**_Uh-huh._**  Venom nods – then all but chokes on their tongue when Eddie brings his free hand up to rest it lightly on their chest: just touching, just making contact. Watching himself do it.

His dick leaking a new wet patch in his shorts.

**_Eddie –_** Venom licks their teeth, tasting the scent of his arousal in the air, no sheets between them this time. Nothing at all between them aside from the tendrils keeping them connected and the thin barrier of Eddie’s worn out old sleep clothes – and everything they’ve been keeping from one another.

That door to the forbidden room at the far reaches of Eddie’s mind is still unlocked. Still promisingly, tantalisingly ajar.

“Do you want to –” He can’t seem to stop looking at his hand where he’s touching them, gaze flicking up to track the progress of their tongue before dipping back down to their chest.

**Yes.** Everything inside Venom braces, bright and hot and frantic with arousal, primed for the rejection they’re sure will come.  ** _We want you to do it properly. Not to waste it this time._**

They wait for his denial. For Eddie to pretend obliviousness and laugh and shrug off his own needs. To tell them – to tell himself – it’s just his body acting up. That it’s just a result of all his  _not thinking_  about sex.

For one of them to have to turn this into a joke to protect themselves.

But Eddie –

“Yeah, kind of – tempted to in honesty, bud. But wouldn’t it, uh. Be an imposition,” Eddie just wrinkles his forehead. Shakes his head slightly as if this isn’t what he meant when he asked ‘ _do you want’_.

Venom doesn’t quite manage to respond to this, already repeating with vast incredulity:  ** _An imposition?!_**

Because seriously, what the fuck.

“Yeah,” Eddie’s mouth opens; shuts again. “I don’t want to – take advantage of you.”

Again with what the fuck.

**_Eddie, you aren’t – you’re not._** Untangling their fingers from his hair, Venom dares to cover his hand on their chest. Perilously close to begging, damn it all to fuck. It slips out of them:  ** _Please._**

“ _V-Venom_  –” Eddie’s breath shudders, something lancing through him, speeding straight to his balls. Heart going so hard it feels like it’s battering his ribs, he smooths his palm up their chest towards where their clavicle would be, if they had one.

Venom could make themselves one for Eddie, if he wants. They could make themselves –

**_Anything._ **

Eddie’s cock jerks again. His pupils blown, irises near swallowed up. Unable to pretend this isn’t happening. Maybe even unwilling to pretend it.

“You  _want_  – You actually, genuinely  _want_  –”

**Yes _._**

_Fuck_  yes.

A million, billion times yes.

“All right. All right, let’s go for it. On the floor, in my grungy shorts; I’m up for doing it ‘properly’ if you’re really, truly okay with that.” His cock seems to harden even further, as if to indicate just how ‘up for it’ it is as well. All the urgency that was absent earlier this morning battering Eddie now. “Venom, will you – will you come here?”

**_Yes._** Barely daring to believe this is happening, Venom acquiesces as he curves his hand over their shoulder, guiding them down that bit closer.

Once they’re hovering over him, stunned by the increased proximity, he brushes his thumb up the side of their neck, “Still okay?”

**_Yes._** Venom’s conscious they’re trembling; can’t stop it however they internally yell at themselves.

“Much as I  _really_  like ‘yes’, darling, I’m going to need a bit more than that,” Eddie’s mouth finds the place where their ear would be, if they constructed one for him to speak into, “We’ve established we both want me to touch myself, but –”

**_Eddie, there are no ‘buts’ –_** While Venom doesn’t intend to interrupt, much more of this and they’re just going to sit down on his cock. That word – ‘darling’ – thrumming through them shockingly hot, forcing them to crush a whine.

“I think there are,” Eddie’s smile whispers against their jaw. Fuck but they want to shove their tongue down his throat –

Fuck but they want to kiss him –

Fuck.

**_How about you assume the answer is yes to all your questions and let’s just go from there._** Bloody hell but Venom sounds just as incredibly desperate as they feel.

“ _Never_  going to assume,” Eddie’s breath hitches, but there’s no room for negotiation in his tone. He snorts faintly, “Although I’m guilty of it, aren't I. I assumed you wouldn’t – that you wouldn’t be interested in anything like this. We had that chat a while ago – you know, after you kept bitching at me for calling you ‘he’ and then for trying ‘she’, and I just kind of thought – well. That being a genderless alien from an asexually reproducing species from outer space meant you’d have no interest in sex.”

It's Venom’s turn to snort.

**_Eddie, we never liked chocolate or sashimi or tater tots or dogs before we came to this planet. Before we met you. We also never slept or read Homestuck or watched Netflix and cat videos until 4 a.m. We can be female or male or both or neither, it makes no real difference to us. And we’re pretty sure you’re aware humans don’t just have sex to reproduce. Is it so weird we’d come to want it with you?_ **

“I – sincerely hope you weren’t including dogs as a favourite food in that speech,” Is Eddie’s response. He sounds blindsided; swept away, “Don’t think I didn’t notice that, buddy, because I did.”

That’s – really what he got from it?

And fuck but Venom infinitely prefers ‘darling’.

“And don’t think I didn’t notice you saying  _both_ ,” Eddie adds. He’s pressing the tip of his tongue against his teeth as his fingers trail up their neck to their jaw, “Because that’s something we’re definitely going to come back to, if you want.”

Oh, Venom wants. Not that they’ve had – well, any experience with human genitalia, really, aside from second-hand from Eddie and their brief sojourn inside Anne and Maria, but.

But they want it. Very, very much. Even just the thought –

**_Do you remember us saying ‘anything’, Eddie? Because we meant it._ **

“I remember,” Eddie shifts his feet underneath them, adjusting his balance, “Do you remember asking me what I want earlier? Because I want this.”

He pushes his hips up in illustration – carefully, gently – against the cradle of their thighs.

**_E-Eddie!_** It’s not a yelp. It’s nothing like a yelp and Venom doesn’t make it.

“You called?” Just before his dick makes contact with their pelvis, the damn fucking bloody bastard  _stops._ “This okay?” There’s laughter in the lines deepening to either side of his mouth. Shaky, but most definitely there.

**Stop asking _–_** Venom might be on the edge of helpless laughter likewise, but they damn well bloody growl for real all the same, just to feel him jump – Eddie’s cock and the rest of him alongside. They close their hand that bit tighter around the wrist they’re still holding, a reminder of how they have him pinned down. ** _Do you want to torture us, Eddie, is that it?_**

“I – no,” Eddie’s extremely flushed in the face, “Well yes, just a little. And to have you tease me back. But ultimately I just – We both want me to touch myself, but –” He finishes his explanation simply, “But far more than that, I want you to touch me. And for me to touch  _you_.”

There’s only one thing possible Venom can say to this – for this is exactly what they want as well, more than anything in the entire universe. And there's only one thing they can do.

**_Then let me. Please. And please – touch me too._ **

Adjusting their hold so they’re cradling him safe against them, they roll over so he’s on top.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which an alien goo makes some initial attempts at plumbing, while Eddie rediscovers his groove.

“H-Huh,” Eddie looks a little surprised to be on top of them – and _very_ pleased, “Why hello there.”

**_Hello Eddie._** Venom gives him a happily toothy grin.

A wave of fondness mixed with a whole lot of _want_ rolls out from Eddie across their bond in response, making them shiver. Damn it, he’s thinking they’re adorable again, argh. But –

But but but –

He’s also amazingly thinking they’re _hot_.

**_Fuck –_** This is fucking awesome. Venom has to clamp down on the urge to swell even bigger, they’re so pleased. Stopped only by the fact Eddie’s changing position, pushing up onto his knees, both his mind and body welcoming the hint of strain in his thighs as he straddles their hips.

This too is fucking _awesome_.

“Heh, you caught that thought?” His grin turning lopsided, Eddie pulls meaningfully at their grip on his wrist.

**Oh _yes._** Venom releases him, purring in approval when Eddie then grasps hold of both of their hands, instantly latching on to him in return. The confession trips out of them, **_And Eddie, I – I think you're very attractive._**  

That's putting it mildly – and really, in their opinion, should go without saying because Eddie is _perfect_.

Venom laces their fingers with his, **_And we like this._**

“Ah – thanks,” Ducking his head at the compliment in almost painfully embarrassed pleasure and a touch of subconscious disbelief –  curse his rotten self-image – Eddie's expression softens into a smile, “And yeah, we do like the holding hands, don't we. Very much.”

Guiding one of theirs up to his mouth, he brushes the knuckles they’ve made with his lips.

**_Oh –_** The tenderness inherent in the gesture deepens Venom’s shiver into a quake. This isn’t an emotion they’re at all experienced with. They can’t help but drink it in, just as they can’t help but long for more.

“All right?” Eddie lets his mouth linger, lips just parting, a little wetness against their skin.

**_Very all right._** Venom thirsts for more of this as well, more of his mouth on them, his _tongue_ – They’re powerless not to dart their own tongue out, swiping his jaw.

Fuck, but they long to do the same to his balls.

To tuck their teeth in and give them a good suck; to snuffle around the creases of his thighs and slurp at his ass.

“H-hah,” Eddie’s hips jerk.

**_Caught that?_** Venom _grins_.

“Oh yes,” Sweat’s dampening Eddie’s brow, “And – _yes_. Later. You can help yourself to my balls later, and anywhere else you might like.” He pauses, “And just in case, by 'later' I mean you can soon. In a bit. If you want.”

**_Oh, we_** **want _, Eddie. And we’re going to hold you to that._** Venom's mouth _waters_. Sprouting slender tendrils to snare him with, they brush Eddie’s sides, dipping under his t-shirt to stroke the small of his back. At the same time they lift their head up to lap at Eddie's neck, needing to be that much closer to him, nuzzling at the spot where they earlier bit. **Have _you_** **_forgotten_** **_us saying ‘anything’?_**

Eddie squirms at the promise as much as the touches, whining deep in his throat, cock throbbing when they let their teeth whisper over his pulse.

“Nope, I def-definitely haven’t forgotten you saying ‘anything’,” His heartbeat is echoing through them both, pounding so fast and so hard, “I’m never going to forget _that_. Although I’m still not going to assume.”

**_Yes, we remember._** Venom would send him the impression of them rolling their eyes, except they’re too wound up to manage it. They trace a couple of tendrils further up the length of Eddie’s back instead, relishing the soft warmth of his skin, before tickling another around to his chest. **_All right?_**

“Yes, very all right,” Venom consequently tweaks a nipple, making Eddie jump, “ _Fuck_ –”

The great heavy door clangs inside his mind, opening so swiftly and enthusiastically it rebounds off the wall to the room Eddie built in the back of his head. The interior is no longer solitary, but welcoming and well lit.

The mental box sits in the centre of the room, the padlocks opened and scattered around it; the steel bars prised from its sides. Only the lid left on it now, barely staying shut. All of those forbidden thoughts crammed tight inside it so tremendously close to bursting out.

Damn but Venom wants to hurry this along.

They nose at the box hopefully, even as they flick Eddie’s nipple again. **_Eddie? If we’re going to suck your balls ‘in a bit’, what is it you want us to do first?_**

“Hah – a-ah –” Eddie seems to be having trouble forming words. He’s also having difficulty battling the desire to lean his hips down into them, to rub against them as he so very nearly did earlier. To give his cock the contact and friction it’s absolutely pleading for, making an even stickier and sloppier mess of his already much abused sleeping shorts. “I – agh –”

Venom can easily sense just how much effort it's taking Eddie to hold back; how there’s something else he particularly, especially wants to do first. It helps give them the control to not take over; to roll Eddie’s nipple rather than tug.

**_Tell me._** To reward themselves for being so patient, Venom sprouts a teeny tiny secondary head and neck out of Eddie’s side, under his t-shirt.

That done, they give his other, neglected nipple a lick.

“Well –” In the midst of attempting to get his act back together through pure force of will, Eddie near loses it all over again at this. He clutches at their hands, fingers tightening around theirs, “O-oh my god, don’t stop doing that.”

**_We won’t,_** Venom gladly continues.

Eddie pants, open mouthed, “Jesus, that makes me wonder just how many mouths you can make.”

**_Do you want to find out?_** They instantly picture making many indeed – and of putting them to a decidedly good use.

Eddie clearly picks up on this as he _writhes_.

“ _Yes_ ,” For all his answer is exceedingly keen, he follows it up with, “Damn damn damn, not now though, much as I _really_ want you to. _Stop thinking that_ or I’m going to –”

**_Hm?_** Venom simultaneously outwardly smirks and inwardly pouts. They play at innocence nonetheless. **_Stop thinking what?_**

“Stop thinking of your mouth – _mouths_ – on my –” Eddie’s laugh descends into a splutter. But given he’s thinking of it very clearly himself despite his complaints, Venom feels confident in sending him one last image of them with many, many mouths all taking full advantage of their flexible tongues –

That is, just about everywhere on Eddie's body this time except for that one specific location.

Eddie’s heartfelt groan is extremely pleasing, as is the fresh gush of precome that paints the already slick head of his cock, “Yes, you’ve got an excellent imagination, darling.”

**_Thank you._** They beam, preening at the praise, delighted by the endearment.

Eddie beams right back at them, “And yes to all that, _fuck_ _yes,_ and also very much _please_ – but later, by which I mean in a bit –”

Tripping over his words, he has to cut himself off to catch his breath. With only a faint sense of regret, Venom eases up on him mentally as requested, consoling themselves by concentrating on touching, generously leaving Eddie's nipples for the time being to explore more of his chest.

This is far from a hardship. They only refrain from requesting he remove his t-shirt – or offering to remove it for him – given they can sense the answer is going to be ‘in a bit’.

“Okay,” Eddie slips a hand gently free from theirs to run it over his face, collecting himself, “Okay. What I really want for us to do first, even before any sucking of balls –”

He places his hand on their chest, right where he touched earlier.

**_Yes?_** Venom prompts encouragingly, shuddering when Eddie then grazes his palm down the length of their torso. 

“Mmm,” Eddie sucks his lower lip into his mouth as his gaze follows the path his fingers just drew, the open appraisal and admiration making heat claw ever higher inside Venom. Then he makes eye contact, “What I _really_ want for us to do right now is to make you come.”

_Fuck_ –

A spasm rocks through them so hard Venom ends up veritably clinging to him. **_Eddieee –_**

“I’m here,” Releasing his lip from between his teeth, Eddie licks it, wet and red. He can’t seem to stop looking at them, “Trust me, darling, I’m so here for this. Was that a yes? Because it sure felt like one, but you know, I need to hear you actually say it.”

**_Yes!_** Venom is hard put to stay still under the weight of Eddie’s expression and words and all the need mingling between them across their bond, **_Fucking hell, Eddie,_ yes _. But –_**

“But?” Both of Eddie’s eyebrows shoot up. He gets it a fraction of an instant later.

They say this together in complete symbiosis: **_We want_ us _to come._**

“Yeah I, ah – all right, I reckon that can be arranged,” Eddie concedes, when their minds separate just enough for _self_ to run alongside _them_.   

**_And then we’ll lick you all over afterwards until we come again,_** There’s hunger, bright and sharp, in Venom’s agreement.

“Hell yeah, I’m on board with that plan,” Eddie adjusts his weight on the elbow he’s leaning on, bringing a leg up over them so he can prop himself on his hip to one side of their body, giving himself more room to move. His hand on their torso stirs, trailing lower, “Do you want to give me something to work with?”

He brushes the tips of his fingers between their legs in illustration, right where there would be something if they were human.

“Or does this do it for you as it is?” Eddie’s mind is abruptly brimming with eager questions, “Want me to keep touching you here? Or somewhere else?” He thinks about it, “Or you like it when I play with you like you’re silly putty, right.” This really isn’t a question. “So – everywhere?”

**_Ah –_** It’s Venom’s turn to struggle to produce speech. Because _yes_ to the last, so very much _yes_ , but also –

In honesty, just the fact Eddie’s touching them there in that place that holds so much meaning for humans; just that and the feeling of his _intent_ –

Eddie’s still watching them so very closely, inhaling raggedly when their legs fall open wider to accommodate the touch. His fingers move with more precision and Venom _aches_.

**_Anything, anything please –_ **

“ _F-Fuck_ –” It emerges as a whisper. Eddie clears his throat, “Can I ask you something?” Venom’s busy winding needy tendrils around his wrist, but he waits until they nod their assent, “Earlier, you know, back when I managed that crappy orgasm – you didn’t go splat because of the chemicals, did you. Did you come?”

**_Um,_** If Venom were capable of it, now is when they just might blush. **_Yes._**

“I wondered,” Eddie’s chuckle is somewhat sheepish, “Well actually, I really tried not to _let_ myself wonder, but.” He licks his lower lip again, “But I kind of failed.” His wrinkles deepen on his forehead as his eyebrows flex, “Have you always been able to orgasm?”

**_Nope._** Venom has to let go of Eddie’s other hand so they can reach down to catch hold of the fingers moving so thrillingly, intimately between their legs. There’s still nothing particular there for him to stroke, but even so – it’s almost enough. **_You – you know that, Eddie. That was the first time._**

The first time first hand, as it were. Experiencing it themselves rather than just riding alongside Eddie. Their bond has come to change them, just as it's changed him. Made them so much more than what they used to be.

“The first time _ever_?” Heat flares even higher in Eddie, a great firework of it going off in his face and pelvis and chest. His eyes darting down to their hand on his, to where they could make themselves genitals, and then back up to their face, “Damn, we’d better make this second one fucking good.”

**_Touch me – touch us like this._** Venom encourages Eddie to press his fingers in that bit more, to pluck at them as he likes, to manipulate their form until he’s got something he can tug.

“Ooh,” Eddie lights up like it's his _birthday,_ “Okay, I like this. I like this _very_ much.”

**_Y-Yes, we rather suspect we're going to like it too,_** Venom's way too het up to succeed in producing a complete manifestation of a penis with all of the plumbing it entails, but still –

It's not precisely a human cock, but there's the shape and enough of the wiring there; more than enough of a similarity to count. And it feels  _hellishly_ sensitive _._

**_Fucking_** **fuck _–_** Venom’s suddenly rumbling, rattling with the force of their groan; they can’t prevent it, can’t hold it back. Everything in them suddenly unexpectedly intensely _focused_ on their shiny new body part.

“Bloody hell Venom, that’s _gorgeous_ ,” Eddie’s hand curves around them with immense approval, “Look at you.”

**_Eddie!_** The first pull he gives them, gentle as it is, damned well makes Venom _yell_.

“Just look at you indeed,” Wonder threaded through with arousal and encouragement thrums rich in Eddie’s voice. Sitting upright so he can touch them more easily, he bites his lower lip hard enough Venom can’t look away from it, even as they’re pushing up ardently into his hand. “Like that?”

**_Ah – yes!_** It's overwhelming; Eddie’s fingers firm and certain, his thumb rubbing over the tip. Venom wants to touch him in return, wants to lick – ‘later’ be damned – wants wants wants to catch hold of Eddie’s shoulder and pull him down and claim his mouth –

But it’s all they can do to prevent their flailing tendrils from smacking him in the head.

“Getting there, right?” Eddie’s watching their face, his other hand disappeared somewhere. Venom jolts hard at the realisation it’s in his lap, Eddie’s palm applying quelling pressure to his own cock.

**_E-Ed-Eddie,_** **yes. _Getting there, uhhh –_** Shitty crapping _fuck_ , they’ve never sounded so totally _wrecked_. Nor did they expect to practically fall apart the instant they made themselves a dick and got Eddie's hand on it. **_You too – please._ Us _–_**

“Yeah we want that, we want us – _yes_ –” A tremor rockets through the both of them as Eddie stops trying to hold back, digging shakily into the mess of his shorts for his cock, “ _Ffffuck_ –”

He almost pitches over face first at the grasp of his own hand.

**_I’ve got you._** However beside themselves they are, Venom will always, always catch him.

“Thanks, darling,” Eddie’s moan as he touches himself sends prickles racing wildly throughout all their limbs, “ _Mmm_ _fuck,_ I’ve got you too, haven’t I.”

**_Hnghhh._** Venom’s helpless not to answer with a moan of their own. **Yes.** Yes in every possible way. **_You’ve got me, Eddie. We’ve got us._**

They’re panting themselves now, using Eddie’s lungs for it, just as their tendrils are trembling in time with each of Eddie’s thundering heartbeats, the pair of them tumbling headily in and out of symbiosis.

**_Eddie, let – let us. Let us touch you as well._** They need their hand – tendril – mouth – tongue on his cock right now now now now now –

“ _Yes_ ,” Eddie’s fingers are sliding over the hot hard slippery length of his dick, but it’s his non-dominant hand and not quite capable of achieving the speed or angle he's craving. Venom can feel how adamant Eddie is his other hand is not about to swap to remedy this: how very happy he is with where it is, his talented fingers squeezing them deliciously.

The feeling of it lances through Venom, unbelievably good. Frantic, they sneak their own hand into Eddie's shorts, along with every tendril they can summon up.

“Oh god, _Venom_ , yes that’s it, that's it, _there_ –” Eddie's cock jolts so hard as they touch it his entire body spasms, knees skidding out from under him, losing his balance until they hastily fumble to prop him back up.

“ _Unnnnnh_ ,” A long keening noise Venom’s never heard Eddie make before wrenches out of his throat. He throws his sticky hand up out from his shorts to fasten onto their shoulder, relinquishing control of his cock to them as he clamps on as if for dear life, all of him bowing over in towards them. “Fuck, I'm close _._ ”

**_Fuck fuck fucking fuck fuck –_** The utterly incredible feeling of Eddie teetering close to orgasm all but topples Venom right over into theirs. They can hardly coordinate what’s left of their body, all of their concentration on two things: Eddie’s cock and the cock they’ve made for themselves.

“Don't stop,” Eddie’s hand is curling tighter around them, moving faster expertly, his hips matching the rhythm as he thrusts into their fist, “ _Don't stop.”_ Venom has no intention whatsoever of stopping, but no ability left to tell him this. _“_ So close, darling, we’re _so close_ –”

**_Mmph –_** Pushing up zealously into his hand, just like Eddie is theirs, Venom has to urgently channel their strength inside themselves so not to buck him off or break right through the fucking floor. Something’s going to implode inside them or they’re going to explode everywhere or they’re going to shatter the windows with their roar –

Something building up uncontrollably, so much stronger, hotter, brighter, _better_ than the previous orgasm –

**_Yesss,_** Venom's so almost gone with it, almost lost, but there’s one thing they’re wholly determined they’re _going_ to do beforehand, fuck –

So.

Grinning at Eddie, showing off all of their teeth, they form two tiny heads under his t-shirt, with mouths to clamp down on his nipples. And at the same time, they fashion a third tiny head on the end of one of the tendrils coiled around his cock, circling up around the tight swollen head to find the slit.

Then they lick.

“ _Venom!_ “ Eddie full on s _obs_.

His hand flying down from their shoulder to claw at them, he grabs a handful of tendrils and _stretches_ with all of his strength. And at the same time, he thumbs a spot beneath the head of their cock with exactly the right amount of pressure.

**_Eddie Eddie Eddie –_** It's beyond anything Venom's ever experienced, so blindingly good they almost can't process it.

_“Fuck!_ ” Eddie's cock is doing a mad dance in their hand, pulsing once, twice, three times, and then hot liquid's flooding out everywhere in startling jets, all over his shorts and t-shirt and their tendrils and hand **_–_**

**_Edddd–_**   Venom's orgasm this time round is nothing like the one they had before. As it balloons up wildly inside of them and bursts, they feel completely certain they could swallow the world if they wanted.

They also harmlessly swallow Eddie whole before they can stop themselves.

_“_ Mmph!“ His cock spurts out a last bit of come in response.

And this **_–_** the feeling of folding Eddie safe and precious inside them; one of the best and most wonderful sensations in the whole cosmos, equal only to becoming _them_   ** _–_** this is ultimately what hurtles Venom speeding over the edge.

**_Hngh –_** The noise they make as they come is so high pitched it'd be mortifying if they were in any sense aware of it.

Eddie's wriggling inside them, never away; shivering with the aftershocks of their orgasms. Venom curls all around him, burrows into him, feels Eddie doing the same in return, and it's so fucking _perfect_ it's almost like they both come again.

When they finally regain themselves, Venom’s not quite a quivering blob splayed prone the floor, but that's really only because they succeed in making themselves a little mouth and eyes after a couple of attempts.

“Hi darling,” Eddie’s lying next to them, grinning, his face still a brilliant red. His hair sticking out in every direction endearingly, a gob of spunk on his chin, his fingers dabbling affectionately through what's left of their body.

He’s never looked so beautiful.

**_Eddie –_** Venom wobbles out a tendril to reel him in and swipe the come up off his chin, _delicious_ , and then they’re both laughing, Eddie pressing his forehead against where theirs would be. Venom scrapes together the wherewithal to build themselves more of a head, because fuck but they fucking need so very, very badly to kiss him –

“Venom –”

But Eddie’s already moving, lowering his head to press his mouth against the shape of them – not to their mouth, but their neck.

A massive grin in his voice, “Fuck, I got to say, that was fucking mind-blowing. Not 'wasted' in any sense whatsoever.” He's laughing a little at himself as he runs his hands with more focus through their still mostly formless mass, making them purr, “Jesus, my legs feel like jelly and my spine aches in the _best_ way, and my balls feel like you turned them inside out and wrung them dry. Seriously, fuck, _thank you,_ you fabulous thing – I haven’t come like that or that much in _years_.”

There’s a wealth of contentment and happiness and utmost relief brimming over from him –

And amongst this very noticeably still a whole _lot_ of want.

**_Mm? Eddie, you’re welcome._** Venom stirs from their stunned lassitude, weaving a couple of tendrils around his shoulders to keep him close, **_Although you really don't need to thank us. It's what you deserve._**

“O-oh," Eddie says on a small shivering intake of breath, like they've caught him off guard, some intense emotion jabbing him in the ribs – but then he's mouthing at them before they can identify it, “You too, it's what you deserve too.”

Then catching the tip of a tendril between his lips, he _sucks._

The moan practically leaps out of Venom's throat, **_Ah –_**

“Too much?” Eddie drops a kiss against the tendril next, “Or too soon? I'm totally up for cuddling, if you'd like that instead. But if you are up for carrying on, I just –” His voice drops half an octave, “There's never going to be any expectation, never ever, no matter what we were saying earlier. But. But if you _are_ up for it, I just _want_ –”

As it turns out, for all the knowledge Venom had been so sure they'd built up over time about fucking, it seems they didn’t know _anything_ much about sex. Because shit, they hadn’t expected human – or human-like – orgasms to feel like _that._

And given how wiped out his cock currently is, paired with weeks of his determined abstinence, nor had they expected Eddie to be immediately raring to go again.

**_Don’t stop,_**  Thoroughly delighted, Venom pieces their body back together, creating arms and a torso and _something else,_ lower down. Something that decidedly isn't a cock.

Greedy to find out how it's different; how it feels when Eddie touches them there.

**_It's not too_ ** **_much_ ** **_or too_ ** **_soon_** ** _. Eddie, we want to continue; we want to lick you like we promised; we want_ more _–_**

“ _Fucking hell_ yes _,_ ” A thrill of eager excitement flows from Eddie across their bond. His eyes widen, breath catching so hard he almost chokes when he notices what they've made.

His limp cock twitches in glee. “Is – is that what I think it might be?”

**_Hmm?_** Venom does a very poor impression of nonchalance, **_Why don't you find out?_**

“Going to let me find out _with_ _my tongue_?” Eddie blurts. And then both his mind and mouth simply _erupt_ : “'Cause you know, talking about licking, I'm fucking one hundred percent up for sucking your dick like a fucking popsicle, so after you get friendly with my balls we really _really_ should do that. But for now I've absolutely got to investigate this new development, if you think my tongue is something you'd like or else I can use my fingers, I'd fucking love to do that too, and there's somewhere else you could make as well that I could put my fingers, if you want, or my tongue or both at once, or **_–_** ”

**_Eddie._** There's nothing conveniently cold nearby Venom can stick against the back of his neck, but they attempt to get his attention anyway. Because for all they very much want to enthusiastically express their agreement with this babble of exceedingly inspiring ideas, Eddie's body is starting to sorely need oxygen. ** _B_ _reathe -_**

Raising a tendril, they bop him gently on the head.

“Oi," Flailing in reflexive protest, Eddie thankfully drags in a breath, chuckling **_-_** and then promptly continues detailing all the things he wants to do to them, with them; together. Because **_–_**

Because **_–_**

Struck by a desperate realisation (desperate _hope_ ), Venom mentally races through Eddie's head to check on that brightly lit room in the back of his mind. And the mental box that’s taunted and plagued and tantalised them for so long **_–_**

That damned depressing exasperating bloody _infuriating_ fucking box is **_–_** is open.

It's open **_–_**

It's _open!_

**_Eddie Eddie Eddie–!_ **

Venom completely fails to crush the joyous surge of emotions that ring out loud and clear in their voice and through their bond as they more or less fling themselves at him, the pair of them tumbling over together in a flurry of tongue and limbs.

Not yet realising there's a ‘but’.

That although the lid has sprung open and all those fantastically filthy sex thoughts are pouring out **_–_**

That there's something else, something different, left inside that mental box. Something still hidden there, buried deep in a secret compartment concealed within.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Venom has another new experience and suffers an unfortunate case of Feelings, while Eddie exercises his decision making skills and the universe delivers a much belated smack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter includes a fair amount of vagina (see tags) XD From "come up here" to "They've let him go", if you prefer to skip.
> 
> Update 07.19: Apologies for the delay in getting the last chapter out due to persistent computer troubles. Not abandoned; will update asap :)

Shafts of golden sunlight are pouring in through the windows, the city outside seemingly washed that bit cleaner for the rain, widening patches of sky very blue between the parting clouds. Somewhere out there, birds are probably singing.

The whole world beyond their apartment could go to pot right now however, as far as Venom cares. 

(Well – except for Mrs Chen and the chocolate aisle and freezer section in her little shop.

Oh, and Anne. Eddie would be sad if anything happened to her. Hell, Venom would be sad too. Anne’s cool (and occasionally kind of terrifying, but they’re not admitting to that). So okay – because Anne would kick their ass otherwise, in this hypothetical apocalyptic scenario they suppose they would also have to save the other half of Anne-and-Dan.

Even if Venom hasn’t _completely_ forgiven the man. Never let it be said they can’t hold onto a grudge. But anyway).

_Anyway_ –

Somewhere outside birds are singing – or savagely ripping apart hapless worms they’ve gouged out of the wet soil. People are shaking off their umbrellas, buying coffees (or, if they have any sense, buying mochas) –

But Eddie?

Right now Eddie doesn’t have a single thought in his head regarding caffeine.

Instead he’s laughing and rolling around with them on the floor, reminiscent of their earlier wrestling, except this time he’s not in any way pretending to attempt to escape. Little noises tumbling from his throat as he runs his hands over what’s left of the body they’ve made for him, digging his fingers into them to tug at their mass, nipping at the tips of tendrils that stray close to his mouth. Venom whisks these away teasingly in response, slipping them under Eddie’s sweaty t-shirt to pluck at the wiry curls of pubic hair leading down from his navel to the waistband of his decidedly dirty shorts, investigating his belly button and flicking his nipples, making him twitch and gasp.

Laughing helplessly just as much in return.

“Got you!” Eddie finally succeeds in snagging a tendril between his blunt little teeth, grinning nearly too much to keep it there, his gaze hungry and affectionate and smug.

**_Got_ you _!_** Venom counters by looping tendrils around his wrists – then they tug Eddie’s hands up over his head much like they had earlier, pinning him swiftly and securely to the floor.

And much like earlier –

Eddie’s reaction to this is _interesting._

“U-uh –” His laughter abruptly splutters out, teeth losing their grip on the tendril as he gasps. His chest heaving as he blinks up at them, breath suddenly coming faster and shallower, an almost constipated look flooding his face.

**_Uh –_** Venom stares down at him in return, a certain distinct and _entirely_ welcome suspicion kindling inside them, **_Eddie, do you –_**

“Yes?” Eddie endeavours to look innocent, which doesn’t in any way work, especially as they can feel his mind suddenly throwing up a whole _variety_ of extremely enthusiastic fantasies, all of which seem to involve Venom doing precisely what they are now, and which result in Eddie’s dick doing a happy dance inside his grungy shorts.

These – these fantasies were amongst those thoughts hidden in that mental box, weren’t they. And –

And Eddie –

**_Hmm,_** Venom tightens their hold on Eddie’s wrists experimentally. Just enough that he can really _feel_ it.

Eddie’s whole body reacts, his hips jerking _hard_. “V-Venom, _fuck_ – uhhh –”

**_You_ like _this!_** Venom bursts out, immensely pleased, **_You_ like _us on top of you, holding you down –_**

They coil a tendril inside Eddie’s shorts to wrap triumphantly around his cock, feeling it rapidly thickening; feeling Eddie’s balls leap up tight against his body, as effective as if they’d held them in their hand and applied a firm but gentle squeeze.

“Hahhh,” The garbled noise Eddie produces indicates his heartfelt agreement, as does his “Fuck yeah, fuck yes I like it, _shit_ –”

**_It’s what you were trying so hard not to think about when you were failing to get off properly!_** Venom realises gleefully: Eddie’s remembering his desperate struggle not to let himself think of them as he attempted to jerk off this morning; his refusal to let himself picture this exact scenario –

Not trying in the slightest to keep this from them now.

“Yeah maybe,” Eddie gives them a crooked smirk, a blunt little canine tooth flashing as he bites down on his lower lip.

**_‘Maybe’?_** Venom challenges. Holding Eddie’s hands firmly in place, they take their time weaving their body back together piece by intricate piece until they’re back in their full form, drawing the process out just to watch the way his pupils dilate.

Making the most of the opportunity to loom.

“Definitely,” Gaze hungry, Eddie amends. He wets his lips, “Come here. Don’t let go, but – come up here.”

**_Mm?_** Venom hasn’t forgotten Eddie’s earlier request to investigate a certain part of them _with his tongue_. If they _had_ somehow forgotten, they’d certainly be reminded by the fact Eddie is now thinking about it very loudly, practically broadcasting it in high definition across their bond.

The body part in question – carefully reformed alongside the rest of Venom – _very_ much appreciates the reminder. But all the same –

Eddie had earlier said he wanted them to tease him a little, hadn’t he. And Venom – Venom can most definitely do that.

Grinning, they slip their own tongue out to lick their teeth as they look down at him, pretending not to immediately catch on to Eddie’s meaning.

**_You mean like this?_** They creep playful tendrils up under his t-shirt to nibble his nipples and brush the hollow at the centre of his clavicle.

“Hah – not quite,” It has Eddie attempting not to squirm, “Not – not that I’m complaining.”

**_Hmm._** Venom pretends to consider their ‘mistake’. **_Then did you mean this?_** They next slip the tendrils up to tug at the hems of Eddie’s sweaty t-shirt.

The material tears with an entirely satisfying _rrrrrip_ and then Eddie is bare chested and _gorgeous_ , blinking up at them and laughing, “Ah no, no I didn’t – ‘destroy my clothes’ is in no way an interpretation of ‘come here’.”

**_Oh, oops. My bad?_** Venom’s pretence at innocence is just as unconvincing as Eddie’s earlier attempt. Distracted quite thoroughly from their teasing by the fact that –

Well.

They’re in their most humanoid form, sitting astride Eddie’s waist in an echo of the way he earlier straddled them when their positions were reversed. And as a result the as yet untried addition to their body is now centimetres away from making contact with Eddie’s midriff.

“Venom –” Eddie seems to realise this at the exact same moment. Inside his shorts, his dick strains in a valiant attempt to reach their ass.

Rather than sitting down on it as they’re incredibly tempted to do, Venom instead carefully –

Moves forwards a bit, and down.

**_Ffff – fuck._ **

Fuck.

Just the tickle of Eddie’s pubic hair against their newly formed mons makes them spasm a bit. Eddie’s breath catches and he jerks likewise, arms pushing up against the tendrils holding them down.

“Sensitive, right?” he asks.

**_Very._** Venom has never experienced the need to blunt their teeth and form themselves a pair of lips before purely so they can bite at them. Just like Eddie does his when they close the distance that bit further.

“Ahhh – fuck, you feel good –”   

**_Ahhh,_** Venom moans similarly without even noticing, entirely intent on the feel of the lips they do possess currently, lower down: the way the outer pair meets and then presses gently against the warm softness of Eddie’s skin.

Feeling how those outer lips begin to part at the contact and pressure. How a sensation of – of slickness and heat is building there within.

“ _V-Venom –”_ Eddie’s pulling harder at their tendrils now, shoulders straining a bit as his back arches against the floor; not at all in the intention to break free, his arousal simply demanding movement. He sounds kind of stunned, “Jesus, you’re – you’re _wet_. And I – I think I can smell you. My mouth’s watering, just like it was for your dick.” He groans, head falling back to expose his throat. “ _Please_. Let me lick you.”

**_Yes._** Venom can’t help but grind down just a little first though, some of that slickness their new body part is producing trickling out of them onto Eddie’s stomach, and just the feel of this rockets through them almost shockingly, making them start. **_F-fucking –_ fuck _._**  

“That’s it – yes, come up here –” Eddie’s huffing a little, struggling for breath, raising his head back up and craning his neck when they manoeuvre themselves shivering up the length of his body until they’re straddling his shoulders.

**_Eddie Eddie Eddie –_** Even just perching on top of him like this – their legs open and their hot wet sex so close to Eddie’s mouth – has what can only be called a whine spilling from Venom’s throat.

This is –

This is not at all what they were expecting. _None_ of it has been anything like what they expected so far – all of it even better than they ever conceived and so much more overwhelming than they thought possible: first Eddie’s hand on their dick and now the sight of his smile as his shallow breaths gust warm and tantalising over their vulva.

“All right?” Having been running hungrily over the length of their body, Eddie’s gaze settles on their face, serious.

**_Very._** Venom can sense just how difficult it is for him to refrain from simply lifting his head that bit more; just how fervently he’s imagining burying himself in their folds.

How they want want _want_ him to do this –

But: **_Eddie? You are all right too? Or do you want us to let you go of your hands?_**

They can sense his wrists and hands tingling a bit, but Eddie – Eddie _likes_ it.

“Fuck no, keep holding me like this; this is awesome,” Eddie laughs, and then he’s reaching his head up again, eyes still on theirs, pressing a closed mouth kiss against their mons.

**_E-Eddie,_** Venom’s abdomen quivers.

“Mm-hm?” Eddie says against them, not moving back, and then he’s just thinking at them in place of speech – _shift your legs wider and tip your body back further, sweetheart; lean back at more of an angle so you open yourself up that bit more for me –_ and that’s a new one, ‘sweetheart’, and it lodges something bright and burning in the best of ways inside Venom’s chest.

**_Like – like this?_** They lean back –

“Mm-hm –”

And then Venom has to whip out hasty tendrils to anchor themselves and keep from toppling over at the first touch of Eddie’s tongue against their sex, so great is their shudder at the long slow lick he gives them, all the way up the length of their outer lips.

**_Ahhhhh, ah, ah, Eddie –_** It’s not a complete replica of a human vulva and vagina, just as their attempt at a penis could have used some work, but it’s _damned_ well fucking doing the trick.

_Yes? All right?_ Eddie’s mind is a swirl of _need_ and _want_.

**_Yes! You – you don’t have to be so careful._** Venom is moving before they can question or stop themselves, bringing a hand down to open their new sex up further for Eddie to give him better access, surprising themselves at the pleasure their own touch provides.

Yelping at the resultant hot starburst of sensation when Eddie _groans_ right against them as a result –

**_Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck,_** Venom can’t help it, can’t do anything other than push down against Eddie’s mouth, even though they desperately try not to; to check Eddie’s okay with it first.

“ _Yes_ ,” Eddie’s moan emerges garbled against them, his mind pushing _yes yes yes_ similarly across their bond, and then his mouth burrows that bit deeper towards the top of their sex, locating _something_ – something indescribably –

Something indescribably unbelievably fucking _fantastic_ –

**_Eddieeeeee –_** The orgasm takes Venom by surprise, even as the pitch of their squeal results in a dog barking madly in an apartment three floors down, **_Eddie – fuck – fuck – what the fucking hell – fuck –_**

_That would be your clitoris,_ Eddie thinks at them wholly smugly, and Venom, who knew this but only hypothetically until now, as it were, completely unintentionally has a flash of –

Anne –

Scolding them when she overheard them bandying about a particular word, telling them how little she thought of people who resorted to using women’s body parts as an insult, and how she also felt said parts were generally deserving of ‘proper' words and – and this had been one she’d mentioned, hadn’t she, while Venom had ducked their head alongside a much abashed Eddie. And they knew it from Maria too: memories of her and an old lover tangled together in better times, Maria’s fingers moving slow and adept between the other woman’s legs, and –

And this _really_ isn’t what Venom wants to be thinking of now, no disrespect intended to their temporary former hosts –

And the memories snap away, gone, as Eddie runs a hand up from their thigh to their hip and then their stomach, and oops –

They’ve let him go, haven’t they.

“Okay?” Eddie’s asking, resting his head back on the tendril they provide to cushion his skull, shooting a look up at them, concern there amongst all the heat in his gaze, “Darling, you okay? You – went somewhere.”

**_We –_** Venom wrenches a breath in – or would if they had lungs, **_We’re here. I’m here, Eddie._** His chin is glistening with the wetness their body produced. Is still producing. **Fuck _–_**

“It was too much?” Eddie’s only partially pacified, “Want to stop?”

**_No._** Venom brings a hand forwards, running their fingers through Eddie’s hair, cradling his head in their palm, **_We don’t want to stop. It wasn’t too much; it was perfect. You’re perfect._**

“Heh,” The little laugh spills almost shyly out of Eddie, even as he chews the corner of his lip. Venom lets themselves brush their thumb there, chasing the flash of teeth, purring when Eddie swipes at it with his tongue, “I’m really not. But you know something? You are. Venom, _you're_ perfect.”

No one, including Eddie, has ever ever ever said this about Venom before. They –

They never expected anyone would.

(Including Eddie. It hadn’t even occurred to them to hope).

**_E-Eddie, what –_** Venom jolts, both in stunned shock at the words and the sincerity they can feel spilling out of him in waves over their bond –

And at an odd sensation that goes off in Eddie’s mind.

Almost like that mental box hadn’t opened earlier. Almost like there's still some secret thought buried somewhere deep inside it and it just came exceedingly close to bursting out.

But that’s not possible. All the forbidden thoughts came rushing out earlier; Venom _felt_ them explode everywhere in Eddie's mind and heard them pour out of his mouth. They _saw_ that the box was empty, the locks and bars all opened and removed, the lid thrown back.

Right?

“I mean it,” There’s an unfamiliar softness in Eddie’s tone that's reflected in his gaze. Almost – almost oddly tender. He's never looked at them like this before.

Venom strangely –

Inexplicably, randomly –

_Hurts_. Because –

Because. No reason ( ** _fuckhead loser! Weak pathetic idiot moronic turd!_** ).

But –

**_I_ _-_ _W-we –_ **

Fuck, they fucking need to control their face right now this instant. And their voice. They’re a bloody terrifying alien predator. They do not – They _will not_ permit themselves to –

(To fold themselves into Eddie and _howl_ –)

Bloody fucking fucking _fuck_. Just because he complimented them like that, what the fuck.

**_We want to suck your balls now,_** Clawing what remains of their act together with _immense_ effort, Venom announces instead of – of anything else, an entirely honest observation that also serves as (an out) a handy means of changing the subject.

Because fuck, they were not prepared for this on the heels of that orgasm.

“You sure?” Eddie’s fingers find theirs, lacing them together. His dick starts, very hopefully but also a little guilty – his mind racing. Not quite wondering if he’s done something wrong, but – on the edge of it; ready to berate himself for screwing up.

Not quite sure what to make of their reaction.

(Or perhaps, rather, he’s entirely sure why his comment undid them so thoroughly, but is responding to their desperate need to save face. Chiding himself for making it necessary).

**_Eddie –_** Venom’s never understood the human expression ‘a lump in my throat’ so well before now. They lean down, melting against him, pressing their forehead to Eddie’s, **_Eddie, stop. We’re not going to let you beat yourself up about this. There’s nothing for you to beat yourself up about._**

“H-heh, there isn't?” Eddie’s other hand wriggles through the remaining tendrils looped around it, rising to clasp onto the back of their neck. Holding them there like that against him, his eyes slipping shut, “You too, then. You know, you think I can’t feel you bitching yourself out, but I totally can.”

Fuck –

**Shit _._** Venom catches themselves that moment too late, realising how telling their reaction is. They scrabble fruitlessly to cover it up, **_Uh. I mean – we’re always the coolest. Why would we do that?_**

“Always the coolest, huh?” Eddie snorts through his nose. The wrinkles on his face deepening as a hint of teasing crooks the fondness of his smile, “Was that a you or _us_ 'we'? You counting me in that statement too?”

**_Always. Always_ us _._** Venom pulls back just so they can flick him on the forehead with an admonishing tendril. **_You know that._**

“ _Hah_ –” This for some reason makes Eddie drag in a shuddering breath, before a look of resolve settles onto his face. He’s made a decision about something.

**_Eddie?_** Venom is instantly and intensely curious. **_What is it?_**

“I’ll tell you,” Eddie picks up on this at once. He slides his hand up their neck to the curve of their jaw, gaze scanning their face. His thoughts abruptly awhirl all over again. It almost –

It almost feels like he’s considering kissing them. No, actually – very much so.

Needless to say Venom fucking achingly _wants_ –

“I’ll – ah. I’ll tell you. Soon,” Eddie is definitely looking at their mouth, his eyes dipping down to it more than once – they hold themselves very still, frozen, almost almost almost daring to hope. Because –

Because however hugely, painfully tempted they are to surge forwards and take the decision out of his hands, Venom _needs –_

They need to be absolutely certain Eddie wants it too.

“Hey Venom –” Eddie brings his other hand up to tap their teeth. Chickening out? Or –

Did they misinterpret?

**_Hey,_** Venom snaps said teeth at him helplessly and he boops the place their nose would be in return. A little growl bubbling out of their throat as a mix of emotions chafe at them (desire and frustration and _longing_ ), **_Eddie –_**

“Yeah?” The emotions Eddie’s leaking back in return are – complicated. Hard to interpret, and Venom promised long ago not to go rootling through his mind for an explanation.

However much they might really, _really_ want to. They’re not about to break their word.

They snag hold of Eddie’s finger instead and slather their tongue over the tip, pleased when it makes Eddie’s cock jump, causing him to stifle a moan, **_How soon is ‘soon’?_**

“Um –” A brief spasm of something undeniably like panic ripples out from Eddie across their bond.

So not yet.

**_After lunch?_** Venom therefore suggests – outside in the park perhaps, on nice neutral territory, after feasting on all their favourite foods. Maybe before dessert, so they can console themselves with a giant vat of chocolate if it’s something –

Well. Who knows what Eddie’s going to say.

“Great –” Eddie takes a not quite shaky breath in. His grin steadies, evens out, “Great. Cool. Okay.”

**_Ball sucking?_** Venom suggests hopefully, half expecting Eddie to plead off in place of a shower, given how his mind has started drifting onto the off-putting stickiness of his shorts. Although this might be simply Eddie, thinking of something else so not to think of –

Whatever it is he’s going to tell them.

“ _Yes please_ ,” Eddie in fact replies with prompt enthusiasm and then they’re laughing, a feeling much like relief sweeping over the both of them, and Venom swoops down on Eddie, gathers him up.

**_Let us lick you everywhere else first like we promised,_** They roll him up in them, make many many tiny mouths and proceed to do exactly that.

And shortly enough Eddie’s gasping and writhing, squeaking when they discover sensitive places, and then Venom has to withdraw just a bit so they can work together to get him out of his shorts, Eddie tossing them aside so zealously they hit the wall. And this –

They press his wet dick against his flexing belly and tickle their teeth harmlessly over his thighs –

All of this is fucking _fabulous_.

“Venom – darling – sweetheart – fuck – _fuck_ –” Eddie’s drooling, sweating, leaking all over everywhere by the time they finally tuck their teeth away and suck his balls into their ravenous mouth, “V-Vee, oh my god –”

That’s a new nickname to go with those amazing endearments. An _awesome_ one – so much better than 'buddy' or 'pal' (fond as they were of those for a long time, admittedly). And it's made from their name, which is something Eddie hasn't done before.

It's entirely new.

Swelling with approval and – and pure fucking _joy_ , Venom beams.

Then they make one final additional mouth, just to press it against Eddie’s hole, giving him a good lick there as well.

“Oh my god, _yes_ , oh my god –” Eddie _sobs_.

**_Eddie Eddie Eddie Eddie Eddie –_** Venom loves this. They love making Eddie feel like this. They love _them_ feeling like this. They love the way he makes them feel.

They love him –

“ _V-Venom_ – _!_ ”

Venom is thumped in the face by a universe-shaking realisation at the same time as they're thwacked by one of Eddie’s flailing hands as he all but wails, clutching at them fervently, almost choking himself with the immensity of his desire as he comes.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

_They’re in love with him._

Fuck.

Of _course_ they are.

The sole tiny part of Venom that isn’t panicking points out that they probably should have had this realisation fucking _months_ ago, seeing as nothing has actually changed regarding their feelings towards and about Eddie. But.

But.

_Fuck_.


End file.
